I Like Purple Better
by manateegirl524
Summary: Karofsky does a lot more than just kiss Kurt in the locker room. How does Kurt handle school, a relationship, and a baby? Klaine, mpreg, and humor, featuring both ND and Warblers...This is my one-shot series 'Its not gonna be pink' in order.
1. A Father's Worst Nightmare

**In case anyone was wanting to see** _It's not gonna be pink_ **in order, you've come to the right place. The chapters have the same content as the original story; the only difference is that the order of events makes more sense.**

**Some quick notes first, so there shouldn't be too many AN's in the future:**

**-I'm working under the idea that Carole is a nurse, which I've seen used in many stories before. **

**-Made up a name for Karofsky's mother – you'll see it near the end of the chapter.**

**-Kurt and Blaine met **_**before**_** the boys vs. girls competition, as in a couple of weeks before. Also, ****Burt and Carole are already married.**

**-Kurt might seem ooc. I don't have any personal knowledge of rape or the trauma that occurs afterward, so consider this your fyi.**

******DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything you recognize, be it songs, artists, plays, books, etc – you get the idea. Names you don't know, are mine, however there are a couple of exceptions. Northside Christian and Spencerville High are real schools in Ohio, and the Silvertones are a real show choir here in New Jersey, so those I'm just borrowing for now (this will show up in a future chapter). Two hospitals that will be mentioned are Lima Memorial and St. Anne's, both real places in Ohio.**

**Warnings for this story include: some language, rape (not graphic detail, more mentions of), mpreg (male pregnancy, in case you don't know what that is), slash **

**Title may change later - I thought this was better than naming it **_It's not gonna be pink, 2.0._ **(I will take suggestions, though)**

_**A Father's Worst Nightmare**_

* * *

Waking up in an empty hospital room sucks, although he could see a few people outside the room talking.

Kurt couldn't make out everything, but what he could hear wasn't positive. He felt numb and fuzzy - why was he here in the first place? The last thing he remembered was reading a text message from Blaine -

Wait - that's not right. A text message doesn't usually land people in the hospital. Something happened afterward -

Kurt let out a gasp as images started running through his mind. Losing his phone...the locker room...pain…

Karofsky.

_What the hell happened to me?_

* * *

Blaine didn't know what to do. He had been working on homework when Finn had called his phone. All that he got from Finn was that Kurt was in the hospital and that he needed to come as soon as possible. He'd explain what happened in person.

He knew he was in no fit state to drive. Most of the Warblers weren't available and Blaine was getting more upset the longer it took him to get to the hospital. Why couldn't Finn tell him what was wrong? Just when Blaine was about to say 'screw it' and go, Jeff popped into his room.

"Hey Blaine I have a quest - what's the matter?"

"Jeff, are you busy right now?"

"I was just working on a project...so no. Why are you so upset?"

"I need to go to Lima Memorial. Finn called and said something's happened to Kurt, but he wouldn't say what. I don't think I should be driving right now, but I need to go." Just thinking about the conversation again was making him panic again.

Jeff was worried about Blaine. None of them had known Kurt for long, but they all generally liked the guy. And it was thanks to him a handful of them were now passing French. So Jeff grabbed his wallet, cell, and keys and started dragging Blaine out of the room.

"Well, then what are we waiting for? Let's go - I'll drive."

* * *

Finn was relieved to see a text from Blaine, who was now en route to Lima with Jeff. Finn hadn't really met many of the warblers, but was glad to see that they looked out for each other. He knew Blaine was probably thinking the worst; for a guy that was adamant that he liked Kurt, not _liked_ Kurt, he was quick to come when called. Finn had no doubts that at some point, Blaine and Kurt would be an item.

And if **he** noticed it now - him, the often oblivious jock - that was saying something.

Finn shook his head; now wasn't the time to think about his brother getting with Blaine, although he could already tell that Kurt had feelings for the guy. Keeping that in mind, how the hell was he going to explain what happened to Blaine and Jeff when they got here?

He looked over at his mom and Burt. All of them were upset, obviously, but Burt was definitely the worst of the three of them. This situation was high on his list of 'things he hoped would never happen to his son' and to hear it happened on school grounds just made it worse.

Finn thought back to how the last two days went down. First was the disagreement with the guys about what song they would be performing for the boys vs. girls battle, which ended with Kurt ditching school to go visit Blaine at Dalton. Both Kurt and Finn got a talking to from their parents: one for ditching, and one for instigating the idea.

Then, it was the whole situation with Coach Beiste, which ended with all the guys following Kurt's lead on how to incorporate two girl songs together and turn it into an awesome apology. That resulted in the boys' reinstatement to the football team, and an extra ten minutes after glee to get their butts on the field for practice. It may not seem like a lot, but on days like this when they're dressed up, the extra time is appreciated.

That's where the problems started. Kurt had hung back in the choir room with Mr. Schue and the girls, while the guys went to the locker room to change for practice. They had been threatened by Kurt to take care of the outfits and not mess them up, or else. When they made it outside, they didn't notice right away that somebody was missing.

Since Coach Beiste was in a good mood again, she was giving them a free pass to just do personal fitness training, with the stipulation that once you were done, you were free to go. Fifteen minutes into it was when Mike noticed how Azimio and a few of the other guys kept looking around, like they were waiting for something. Artie picked up on the fact the Karofsky was MIA. Sam ran to Coach Beiste and asked where he was - nobody knew. Finn and Puck took it upon themselves to go look for him. The others tagged along.

None of them expected to find him in the locker room with Kurt.

To be honest, everything that happened after that was both a blur and crystal clear, which didn't make any sense. Finn remembers throwing Karofsky off of Kurt and into a locker. He doesn't recall Artie leaving to get Beiste. He barely remembers Puck and Sam holding Karofsky down on the ground, while he was cursing them out and trying to break free. He sort of remembers Mike trying to wake up Kurt.

But there was one thing he'd never forget: Kurt's appearance, more specifically, the amount of damage to his body...and the blood.

Just thinking about it again made him want to kill Karofsky. Kurt didn't deserve this. So what if Karofsky was in jail? He was still very much alive. Finn, Burt, and Carole were still waiting to hear about Kurt's condition. They knew what happened, just not how bad the beating had ultimately hurt Kurt. Finn could only hope that they'd know something before Blaine got there.

Finn was lost in thought. _Kurt's alive, not in good shape, but alive. Right? Someone would've told us by now if that wasn't the case. But that paramedic had said that he wasn't breathing right, and something about internal bleeding, and that's really bad. Kurt's a strong person though...he'll pull through._

* * *

The next thing that Finn was aware of was the sound of running and a yell for "Finn!" He must've been out of it for a while, because it was Blaine yelling for him, with Jeff right behind him.

Blaine came up to Finn, "Finn! What's going on? Where's Kurt?" Finn didn't realize he was by himself. He vaguely recalls his mom taking Burt somewhere, and since he didn't know when they'd be back, that meant he would have to tell Blaine and Jeff what was going on.

"You guys got here quick."

"We might've sped a little, but we were worried. What's going on?" Jeff asked.

"This is gonna be hard to hear...you're gonna wanna sit down."

Jeff glanced at Blaine. Jeff had only spoken to Finn twice, but with how often Kurt spoke of him, he could tell that Finn was worried and scared of something. Now _he_ was worried, and from what he could tell, Blaine was feeling worse than he was.

The boys sat down across from Finn, also wondering where the adults were. "Mom and Burt are trying to find out any news...we've been here for a couple hours already."

Blaine finally said something, "Finn...where's Kurt? I sent him a text earlier and never heard back from him. We were supposed to meet up for coffee after glee. Then you called and said to come here. Did he get hurt at school?"

Finn nodded. He knew they were aware of the whole Beiste situation, so he started with the guys leaving for football practice, and how they noticed that Karofsky was missing. The more Finn spoke, the paler the other two got.

**-flashback to earlier that day-**

Finn, Puck, Mike, Sam, and Artie were on the field before most of the other players, which still never made sense to any of them. While they usually met with the rest of New Directions, most of the team didn't have anything to do after school. So it was no was no surprise that they didn't notice the missing player at first.

Mike was the first to notice, "What's with Azimio? He keeps looking around...and he seems worried."

"Worried? About what? That dude doesn't know what it means to be worried."

Sam agreed with Mike. "Puck, Mike's got a point. The guy is definitely distracted, and that's saying something. So what gives?"

Artie rolled up to the guys and looked around for himself. "Guys! Karofsky isn't here!"

"What!" They looked around and saw that Artie was right.

Sam ran off the field, "I'm gonna ask Coach Beiste if she knows."

Puck turned to the guys, "I don't like this. He's not usually the last one here."

They started moving off the field towards Sam and Coach Beiste. Once they saw her reaction to Sam's questioning, they knew she didn't know where he was either.

"Coach - do you know where he is?" When she shook her head, Finn started to panic. Kurt was still at school, but by this point, the rest of the girls would've left already. Since Karofsky wasn't here, that meant he could be roaming around the building somewhere, and with the last few close calls they'd had…

"Hudson! Where are you going?" he heard Beiste yell.

Finn took off for the locker room, hearing the others following. As long as it was empty, Kurt had no problems going in there. He knew Kurt kept a backup outfit or two in his gym locker. He'd used the one in his regular locker that morning, and even he wouldn't be in the mood to keep their pseudo-tux ensemble from earlier on. But if he didn't know Karofsky was unaccounted for...he could be in serious trouble.

_This is the one time I better be wrong, _he thought, _please don't be in there._

When they could hear noises, yelling, and crying coming from the locker room before they got there, Finn knew he wasn't wrong. He stood in the doorway shocked for just seconds before throwing himself at Karofsky.

"Get off of him!" Finn got a hit or two in before Karofsky retaliated.

"Fuck off Hudson! He was asking for it!" That was enough for Sam and Puck, who attacked Karofsky and pushed him to the ground. Artie had already left to get help, leaving Mike to tend to Kurt, who at this point was barely conscious.

"Finn, leave him and get over here. Kurt needs help." Mike had Kurt covered up, and had a towel under his head, acting as both a pillow and a way to stop the bleeding. From what they could tell, Kurt's head made impact with the bench, if the blood trail was anything to go by.

"Stop moving you asshole! Just wait til the cops show up to take your ass to jail!" Puck and Sam were having a hard time keeping the struggling jock on the floor. Finn told Mike to go help them - he'd take care of Kurt until help arrived.

"hmm...Finn…" Kurt was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He was also having hard time breathing. Finn thought it was just from Kurt crying, until he noticed something under Kurt's shirt.

"Kurt, I need to look under your shirt real quick...can I?" Finn knew he couldn't make any sudden movements. Otherwise, Kurt would freak out or zone out, neither of them being a favorable option. He got a soft 'ok' before he lifted the shirt and saw the bruises. Finn had seen enough sports injuries - many his own or Puck's - that he could tell that he had some serious damage to his chest.

"Kurt, I need you to stay awake for me, okay? I can tell you hit your head, so I need to see if you have a concussion. You have some bruising on your chest, too...did that asshole kick you? Where does it hurt?"

"...head hurts...probly a 'cushion...kicked m'side aft'r I fell…" Kurt weakly pointed to where the bruising was located. Finn noticed the slow, slurred speech. He was able to make out the way Kurt's pupils looked and could tell he had a slight concussion.

"Bro, you sound like me when I get hit on the field," which got him a very small, watery smile, "and you probably have a couple of bruised ribs, so don't move too much." Finn saw Kurt's eyes starting to flicker. "No, you can't sleep yet. We're getting you help - stay awake for me."

"...trying…"

"Let me go you bastards!" Finn turned around to see Karofsky still fighting from his spot on the floor. Sam, Puck, and Mike had a good hold on him, and if the sounds coming from outside the locker room were any indication, Artie was finally on his way with backup. When Finn turns back to Kurt, he startles when he sees Kurt's reaction to Karofsky's nearness. He's shaking and hyperventilating, and nothing he's doing is helping.

"Look at me Kurt! He can't hurt you again. The guys have him and aren't letting go. Help's on the way...just focus on me, dude."

Minutes later, the room is filled with a few officers and paramedics, as well as Coach Beiste. She was able to convince everyone to let Finn go to the hospital with Kurt, since he was his step-brother and the one that was keeping Kurt calm. One of the paramedics wasn't going to let him go, but after Kurt started to fight them, they didn't have a choice but to let Finn ride with them. Within ten minutes of arriving Kurt was on the way to Lima Memorial, leaving the guys behind to explain what they saw.

**-End of flashback-**

"I was so busy trying to keep Kurt awake, I didn't think about what happened to Kurt before we got there. It was easier to focus on what I could do to help, than think about what Karofsky did to him. It didn't really sink in until I got here - Karofsky almost killed him. If we got there any later…

"I called Mom and Burt, but the cops had already called them. When I told Burt what I knew, I thought he was gonna have another heart attack. We've been waiting for news since."

Blaine and Jeff couldn't get any paler. After hearing all of that, they didn't know what to say. Jeff asked if Finn had heard from the guys yet.

"One of the officers came here to talk to me and said he'd sent the guys home after getting their statements. I asked about Karofsky and was told they had him at their station. They have plenty of evidence, so it's not like he can deny anything happened. They even got video of Karofsky hurting Kurt in the hallway leading up to it."

Blaine looked at Finn, "How is there video? Your school doesn't have cameras."

"Some of the AV club members were trying out some new equipment in the hallway and got them on tape. Kurt had just left the locker room. Karofsky threw him against the lockers in the hallway, and Kurt went after him. We kinda know what happened next…"

The boys were quiet after that. Before anything else could be said, they heard footsteps coming toward them. It was Burt and Carole, as well as a doctor. Finn, Blaine, and Jeff stood up when they got close.

Finn spoke up first, "Mom...Burt...how's Kurt?"

"Boys, come with us. We're going to Dr. Howard's office to talk. She's going to tell us how Kurt's doing. He's in bad shape, but he's alive." Carole didn't say anything more, but if the tears were anything to go by, it wasn't good news.

* * *

Dr. Carla Howard had seen a lot of patients, but the amount of damage done to this patient, really hit her hard. She had spoken with his father and stepmother already, but she didn't know how these boys were going to take the news. Just talking to Carole and Burt was hard enough.

She'd worked with Carole many times at the hospital, and the only thing allowing her to stay on this case was the fact that she only knew Kurt from Carole's mentions of him. If she knew Kurt personally before this, there was no way she would've been able to take care of him. If would've been difficult either way - she was the only female on-call at the moment, and there was no way she was going to make things worse for him.

Carla led the group into her office and closed the door. Carole had told her that Finn and the other glee boys had gotten to Kurt before more damage could've been done. She also mentioned that there was a good chance that Kurt's friend Blaine would be showing up. Since she had two unknown boys in front of her, she decided that introductions needed to be dealt with first. She wasn't about to divulge more information than necessary.

"Since some of us don't know each other, I'm going to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Carla Howard - Dr. Howard or just Carla is fine. I've been taking care of Kurt since he was brought in today. Now, I've worked with Carole often and know Finn. I've only recently met Burt, but I would like to know who you two are," pointing to Jeff and Blaine.

Both boys looked at each other before Blaine spoke up. "Um, okay. I'm Blaine and this is Jeff. We're friends of Kurt's. We go to Dalton Academy in Westerville. Finn called me and told me to come to the hospital because something happened to Kurt."

"He wasn't exactly in a fit state to drive, so I told him I'd come with...Finn told us what happened," added Jeff, "but something tells me it's worse than we thought."

Carla sighed and after a moment began to speak. "Kurt was beaten badly. He's got a slight concussion and some bruised ribs, but I can tell he didn't go down without a fight. Unfortunately, there were signs of sexual assault and we had to do a rape kit on him - "

"WHAT?" Finn had leapt out of his seat, knocking it to the floor, and causing both Dalton boys to jump.

"Finn, calm down -"

"How can you tell me to calm down, Mom - you're telling me that asshole did **that** to him? We promised to look out for him, and this is what happened?"

Burt jumped in by that point, "Finn, I don't think any of us thought Karofsky was capable of something like this. This just proved there's something wrong with that kid. Bullying is what he's always been known for. No one ever expected things to escalate like this. And don't put yourselves down. You boys have done a lot of looking out for him for the last few weeks, and you'll never know how much that means to me."

Finn sat down again with his head in his hands. Blaine and Jeff were both teary-eyed and in shock. Blaine recovered a second before Jeff did and asked, "How bad is he?"

Carla sighed, "What you should focus on is the fact that he will get better with time, rest, and support. If the rest of his friends are anything like the three of you, then he'll feel better sooner - physically. Emotionally, it may take longer. Even half-aware of what was going on when he was brought in, he didn't handle any of the male nurses well; once I had them out of the room, he calmed down but still didn't fully wake up."

"Has he woken up yet? I thought you couldn't let someone with a concussion sleep." asked Jeff.

Carla shook her head. "We put him under a light sedation, just so that he could relax and do some tests. I felt it would be easier for him if we could get all of that out of the way. Most of his scans came back with no signs of anything broken; the concussion isn't as bad as expected either. We're just waiting for his blood results - "

A knock on the door interrupted her. Carla got up to answer it and was given a folder with some papers and some images. Carla sat down and opened the folder, skipping the papers and going to the images. Her eyebrows rose, and then narrowed, before she looked back to the group, specifically Burt.

"Is there something you've neglected to mention about Kurt's medical history?"

Burt looked at Carla in confusion, "What do you mean? You have his file and I've supplied you with anything else."

"Because according to this, we may have a problem in the future, and if you're not aware of it, then this hospital will have a major problem on their hands."

Carole was shocked at this response. "Carla, what are you talking about? What's on those scans that could result in the hospital being responsible for it?"

"We scanned Kurt to check for internal injuries. We found something surprising, and you need to be made aware of it. First I need to ask - when Kurt was born, were there any problems, with either him or his mother?"

Burt honestly didn't know what to say at first, but then he spoke up. "Elizabeth and I had a hard time conceiving. We were told that the chances of us having kids were nonexistent, which didn't make any sense. Neither of us were infertile, and we were both young and healthy. We gave up for a while, then out of the blue, a year later Elizabeth was pregnant."

Burt seemed to have forgotten who was in the room, like he was stuck in the past.

"She had an easy pregnancy, until about halfway through. Elizabeth was losing weight and was sick a lot of the time. Doctor said it was just the woes of pregnancy and that there wasn't much we could do about it. We did what we could, and for some time, the only highlight was finding out we were having a girl."

That got odd looks from Carole, Finn, Blaine, and Jeff, all thinking the same thought - that Kurt was a **boy**.

"Elizabeth did start feeling better, but then at barely 30 weeks, was admitted into the hospital for preeclampsia, and ended up delivering early. We found out Kurt was a boy during the C-section. You could tell by looking at him that he was a preemie. He was in the hospital for a long time, but he's been fine since."

Carla could tell that Burt spoke the truth, and obviously had no idea what she was going to tell him. "Neither of you were told that there was anything different about him?"

"No, just that he would be small for a while. He had some breathing problems too, but that was normal."

"I'm sorry about being cross earlier, but the reason for that is this: Kurt is a carrier...he's capable of getting pregnant."

"Please tell me this is some sick joke."

Everyone turned to, surprisingly, Jeff. Even Blaine was shocked he said that aloud, although he'd be lying if he said he wasn't thinking the same thing.

"Jeff - "

"No - this isn't fair! No wonder Kurt doesn't believe in God. It's not enough that he is harassed and raped by some asshole, but there's a chance he could get pregnant after all of that? Is there anything you can do to make sure that doesn't happen, or can you tell if he is yet?"

Carla was shocked at Jeff's response, and she wasn't the only one. "We won't be able to tell for sure for some time yet, but there's nothing I can do to prevent it from happening." She saw Jeff about to open his mouth again. "And the morning-after pill cannot be given to carriers. It doesn't react well, and it's not worth risking Kurt's health to try."

"How could we not have known? Nowadays, parents find out by the time the kid's two if it's possible." Burt was just stunned.

"I don't know what to say. I can tell from his file; that Kurt's not much of a hospital person, or much of a doctor's person either."

"Kurt was always good about not getting sick, especially before his mother died. Don't get me wrong, he does get the occasional cold, and sometimes he has headaches, but that's about it."

"I don't want us to get ahead of ourselves. There's still a chance that there will be no baby - I just want us to be aware of the chance that there can be. Only time will really tell. We can cross that bridge when, and if, we get to it." That seemed to be the end of that particular discussion.

Finn, who'd been quiet for a while, finally asked a question on everyone's mind. "So when can Kurt come home? I know you already told us about how he's doing, but Kurt's not a fan of hospitals. It won't be long before he starts freaking out because you're keeping him here."

Carla sighed again, "It really depends on how he's doing, but knowing of his past experiences...he needs to stay put at least for a couple of days - no sooner."

"...can we see him? I understand if we can't, but I need to see him, just for a minute." Carla turned toward Blaine. She was going to say no but she couldn't deny his request. He looked so heartbroken, and if Carole's thoughts were anything to go by, he'd be with Kurt in no time.

"Follow me. I'll take you to his room."

* * *

Blaine almost backed out once they got to Kurt's room. He didn't want to freak out, or start crying again, but he couldn't go back to school until he saw him with his own eyes. He could tell Jeff was thinking the same thing.

Carla stopped in front of a room. "Remember what I said boys. He looks worse than he is. Keep in mind, he may not react well to you. If that happens, give him some space. Let me know if you need anything." She walked off, leaving the boys outside of the room. Burt and Carole were already inside. Blaine, Jeff, and Finn didn't move, each waiting for another to go first. Blaine finally couldn't take it anymore.

"That's it - I need to see him. Even if he kicks me out...I don't care." With that said Blaine took a deep breath and cautiously walked into Kurt's room. Jeff and Finn looked at each other before following him in, but staying close to the door.

Kurt was awake, but you could tell that he was still under the influence of whatever drugs they gave him. Burt saw Blaine first, and the other two behind him, and turned to Kurt. He was hoping for the best but was determined to give him the option of whether or not he wanted to see anyone.

"Kurt, you have a few visitors, if you're up to it." Burt leaned out of the way enough for Kurt and Blaine to see each other. He knew that they were still new friends, but nobody could deny that there was something between them.

Kurt was shocked, "Blaine...you're here? But I thought you didn't like hospitals."

Blaine actually smiled a little bit at that, "No I don't...but I like you. When I heard you were here, I wasn't about to let a little fear keep me away. I was worried when you didn't show up for coffee. Can I come in?"

Kurt nodded. Blaine could tell by his face that he was a little afraid, but he could also see that Kurt really wanted him to come closer - and who was he to deny that.

Blaine reached for one of Kurt's hands, hoping that little bit of physical contact would be alright. Blaine was so relieved that Kurt wasn't really afraid of him, that he almost missed Kurt mumbling, "I'm sorry I worried you."

Blaine pulled back before responding with a, "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. You up to two more people that wanna see you?" Kurt looked toward the door to see Jeff and Finn, both who gave him little waves. He gave them a small smile, which they took as the okay to go in.

"Hey bro."

"Hi Kurt."

"Hi guys."

Burt and Carole decided to leave the group alone for a few minutes, so they went in search of coffee. Kurt panicked for a second when they said they would be back in a little bit, but looking at Blaine, Jeff, and Finn reminded him that they'd be here and weren't going to hurt him.

Finn and Jeff took the chairs the parents had been using. Blaine just staying on the bed with Kurt. They almost didn't believe that Kurt had been raped - how could he let them get so close without panicking - but they noticed every time a male doctor or nurse walked by the room, Kurt visibly tensed and shook until they had passed by.

"How are you feeling Kurt? Dr. Howard said you'd be in here a few days...I already told her that you wouldn't like that."

"Thanks Finn, and I told her the same thing. There's no reason why I can't just sit in my own bed at home. Yes, I'm hurting, but I'd rather be somewhere I know is safe than be here freaking out every time someone walks by. I have to ask you something though…"

Finn had a feeling he knew what was coming. "Yeah...what is it?"

"How did you know to come looking for me? You were all at practice, weren't you?"

"Me and the guys weren't on the field long before we noticed that Karofsky was missing and nobody knew where he was. We ran back to the building and started looking for you. we found you both in the locker room. Puck, Sam, and eventually Mike were all holding him down to keep him away from you til Artie came back with help. You had hit your head and were really confused."

"I remember leaving the locker room and reading Blaine's text, but then Karofsky was there, and I ran after him. There was yelling and pushing... It gets blurry after a while...I sorta remember you saying that I sounded like you."

Finn let out a laugh, "Trust you to remember me saying that. We - we didn't really realize what that bastard had done to you until later. They almost didn't let me come in the ambulance with you."

Finn saw Kurt stiffen for a second and noticed the far-away look in his eyes. "Oh, Kurt, I didn't mean to bring that up. I'm sorry - "

Kurt brought himself out of his thoughts. "No, Finn, it's okay...it still hasn't fully processed yet. Everything feels numb; it's still hazy, but I know what happened. Did any of you get hurt?"

"Puck and Sam were a little roughed up, and Mike's got a black eye, but they're fine. They've been helping me keep the girls - and each other - away for now. We didn't want to crowd you, or scare you. To be honest, I didn't think we'd get into the room. I mean, you hear stories about how victims deal with people after this kind of thing happens to them, and well…"

"Well what?"

"I was afraid that you would be afraid of me. I'm the same type of guy _he_ is, so I didn't know if you'd wanna see me."

Kurt was both shocked and touched by Finn's answer. "While all of that's true, you were a part of the rescue crew. If it wasn't for you and the guys...trust me, if I didn't want you here, I would've kicked you out a long time ago. I haven't even hugged Dad yet, and that's hurting me just as much as it's hurting him."

"You know your dad won't push you to do something you're not ready for. You're a strong person, Kurt, and you'll be back to your enthusiastic, huggy self in no time," Blaine added.

"I call dibs when you feel up to it. _Your love is my drug,_ Kurtsie."

Kurt's jaw dropped. "Did you seriously quote Kesha, Jeffers? And whatever will I tell Nick?"

Blaine and Finn laughed, not knowing what was funnier - the self-satisfied smirk on Jeff's face or the goldfish expression on Kurt's. "Nick will understand. He loves you too."

Blaine was still holding onto Kurt's hand, and had started rubbing the back of it with his thumb lost in thought. Kurt didn't mind it, but noticed that Blaine was thinking hard about something.

"Blaine, what's wrong? If you keep thinking so hard, you'll blow a vessel or something."

Blaine gave a little jump before focusing on Kurt again. "Did your dad or the doctor mention what they found during your tests?"

"You mean my surprise girly parts? Yeah, Dr. Howard told me...thought it was some sick joke or something."

"...you seem really calm about it."

"I'm still feeling the sedative from earlier...it's also under the 'still hasn't processed yet' file. Wasn't actually prepared for a revelation like that. I guess that explains my girly features, though."

Blaine was about to say different, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Hey boys, how are we doing in here?" It was Burt, Carole, and Dr. Howard.

"We're alright Dad...what's up?"

Dr. Howard spoke up, "Unfortunately I'm going to have to kick you three out," pointing to Finn, Blaine, and Jeff, "as Kurt needs to rest now, and visiting hours are over for today." Blaine and Jeff paled a little as they looked at the clock. Even if they left now, they wouldn't make it back to Dalton by curfew.

"Don't worry you two. I called the school for you and explained what happened. You won't get into any trouble, as long as you leave soon." Both Warblers sighed in relief and gave Carole their thanks, before turning back to Kurt.

"I guess that means we gotta go...we didn't exactly tell anyone we were leaving. I probably have a very frantic boyfriend to deal with."

"Which means I'll have Wes and David waiting in my room for me."

Finn looked back at the adults and asked, "Do we all really have to go? Who's gonna stay with Kurt?"

Kurt was wondering the same thing. It was likely that they were going to give him something so he'd sleep, but he wasn't looking forward to being left alone.

Burt replied, "I'm going to stay put. You and your mom will head back home. You still have school in the morning, and I know the rest of the group ain't gonna like being kept in the dark for long. They're gonna wanna know Kurt's doing okay. No offense to your friends, but some of them scare me, each in their own way."

Finn groaned just thinking about it. "I know what you mean. Kurt, do you want me to keep them away for now? You know Rachel will just show up otherwise, and Mercedes has been waiting for me to text her back."

"I'll let you know tomorrow...if they could wait until I go home that would be great, but that's probably asking a lot."

"If they show up after Finn talks to them, I'll just kick them out. I haven't been in 'papa bear' mode in a while."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Don't play dumb. You did that when the warblers came to the house a few weeks ago."

Several chirps sounded from Blaine and Jeff's phones, which caused both to sigh and get up to leave.

Jeff looked at his phone. "I've got a 'where are you' from Trent, a 'where u be at' from Beatz, and a 'I cant find my bf...idk where he could be' from Nick."

Blaine looked at his. "David said 'Wes wants to know where u went' and Wes said 'its curfew and ur not here…' Well, glad to know that we're missed." He turned back to Kurt. "We have to leave, obviously...is it okay if I come back tomorrow?"

Kurt smiled and said, "If you want to - I'd like that. You'd better get going."

Blaine stood up from the bed and gave his hand one last squeeze. "If you need anything, let me know. I'll see you tomorrow." Blaine and Jeff said their goodbyes to the others and left. Carole almost had to push Finn to leave, but Kurt said he'd see him tomorrow as well.

While Burt got comfortable in the chair next to the bed, Dr. Howard stepped forward and injected a sleep aid into Kurt's IV. She said it was a mild drug and that he'd be out within the next ten minutes or so. After a quick look at him, she bid them both goodbye and left the room.

Burt made sure Kurt was tucked in before getting situated himself. "I'll be right here all night, so if you wake up at all, or need something…"

Kurt replied, "Thanks Dad...can you hold my hand, at least til I fall asleep?" All he got in response was the feeling of Burt holding his hand, and he was out, leaving both father and son hoping for a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Paul Karofsky didn't know what to do anymore. When the police called saying they had arrested their son, he thought it was a mistake. When he and his wife got to the station, they were told it was because Dave had beaten and raped Kurt Hummel, on school grounds no less. His wife wasted no time in defending him, going as far as questioning whether they had the right kid, and demanding to know what evidence they had.

As much as he didn't want to believe it, Paul knew this wasn't a joke. His son hadn't been right for some time now. He was aware of the bullying at school, and how much of that attention was usually on Kurt. But for him to go as far as rape…

Paul had known Burt Hummel for a long time, used to be good friends with him and his wife before she died. They probably didn't remember, but Kurt and Dave used to play together when they were kids. Things changed when they started kindergarten. His wife suddenly wanted nothing to do with the Hummel's. He still talked to Burt and Elizabeth, though, and found out that Kurt was saddened to lose one of his first friends.

From his understanding, the whole situation revolved around the idea that Kurt was a fairy, or at least that was how Jean had explained it to Dave. Paul realized then and there, that she had a real problem with anyone gay, if she was going so far as keeping her son away from a 5-year-old who didn't act like a typical little boy. Just because he was a polite kid that didn't like to play in the mud, didn't mean he was gay, but Jean wouldn't hear it.

Any relationship with the Hummel's died when Elizabeth did. Sure, he still went to Burt with his car, but that was it. They really didn't start talking again until the boys were freshmen. Once he'd heard about the dumpster tossing, he'd told Dave to stop, or he wouldn't be allowed to play football. He didn't know just how bad the bullying had progressed - locker slams, verbal abuse, slushy facials - and all mostly directed at the glee kids, with Kurt as the main target.

One officer had taken Jean to Dave, while another told him what happened in the locker room. Paul couldn't believe that his son had done what he did, but the evidence was there, and to be told that his son hadn't been under the influence of any drugs…

His son had done it with a clear mind and had shown no remorse for his actions. There was nothing he could do to help him, not that he really wanted to. Nobody deserved this kind of treatment, and for him to not have paid more attention to his son's behavior, really hit him hard. When it was his turn to speak to his son, he almost said no, but he needed to see him for himself.

When Paul saw his son, he knew he wouldn't be able to help his defense. His son was proud of what he had done. He had almost killed someone. They had so much proof that a trial would just be a formality, if not a waste of time. He asked his son one question: "Why?"

"He's a fag - what other reason is there? Mom said she understood, and she was proud of me."

Paul didn't want to hear anymore. He left after telling the officer to keep him updated, but that he wouldn't be helping. Dave knowingly went after Kurt, someone who dealt with everything his son threw at him and never retaliated, knowing it would only make things worse.

There was no reason why any of this had to have happened. There was no reason why he should help his son. If his wife wanted to help him, so be it, but he wasn't hanging around to see the outcome.

Dave was guilty, and anyone with eyes could see that.


	2. Audition

**Remember the episode where Kurt auditions for a solo after consulting Rachel? Yeah, didn't care much for that one. For this one, Kurt is doing a traditional try out to join the Warblers and uses a different song, which I included the lyrics for. This is Kurt's song, at least to me, and I think it's a much better fit. Considering Blaine's advice in the ep was to stop trying so hard, this song doesn't need him to try hard – it's like his theme song.**

** Kurt has been at Dalton for a few weeks by this point.**

_**Audition**_

* * *

"No, Rachel. That's worse than suggesting _My Heart Will Go On_."

"But Kurt, you need to wow those guys. Channeling your inner _Evita_ will do that for you."

Kurt just sighed, exasperated. "You don't get it. The Warblers are an a cappella group, and an all-boys group at that."

"So what? You make a living singing girl songs - _Don't Cry for Me, Argentina_ is perfect for you. Besides, you said that first performance you saw was _Teenage Dream_...Katy Perry is a girl."

Sigh. "Then let me rephrase that - they don't do show tunes."

"Well, they don't have to. You on the other hand, do. That's where your strengths are, and they need to see that. You show them what you can do, and they will be begging you to join."

"For the last time – NO."

"But Kurt –"

Kurt decided that he'd had enough for one day. "I'll keep it in mind Rachel, thanks. Now I need to get some work done - Dalton believes in actually challenging its students, which equates to a mound of homework. I'll talk to you later."

"Fine, Kurt, but don't forget what I said."

Kurt threw his phone on the bed with a groan. _I should've never picked up the phone. Now I have a headache, and I really need to get this stuff done._

Kurt had spent two days in the hospital, before finally convincing Dr. Howard to let him go home to recuperate for an additional ten days. By the first of November, Kurt was officially at Dalton. The Headmaster - Harold Dippet - was Kurt's new favorite scholarly adult. He had arranged for Kurt to have his own room, and his schedule, though demanding, was fantastic.

While he had been stuck at home, Professor Dippet had shown up with placement tests. It was more of a formality on the school's part; originally, they were just going to refer to his McKinley schedule and work from there. However, several birdies had informed him that Kurt was smart and his old curriculum was a joke. He tested well on all of them, and ended up with several high level and advanced placement classes.

To top it off, he was able to test out of French, which led to an awesome proposal. Dippet told Kurt that students like him could opt to become tutors or student teachers, with the perk of off-setting the costs involved with attending Dalton. Since he was only going to be there for the second half of the first semester, and because of it being an emergency transfer, they only needed to worry about the next semester's full tuition. Low and behold, there was a fund to cover the initial costs for mid-transfers, until they were situated.

The only downside of being a mid-transfer, as well as a newbie in regards to private education, was playing catch-up. He was given packets for each class that were more like novel-length study guides. Even though he started on the 1st, he was still excused from physically attending class until the following Monday, so he had plenty of time to work on coursework. He didn't know whether Blaine and the guys would be distractions, but they took turns checking up on him and offering their help, learning quickly when to give him space.

Ironically, his only real distraction was Rachel Berry.

Rachel had heard from Finn that Kurt was settling well at Dalton, and had been approached by Thad, Wes, and David to audition for the Warblers. Wes almost fainted when Jeff had mentioned to him that Kurt was a countertenor, and for a second or two, considered to just let Kurt join. However, as tradition dictated, Kurt needed to prove he could sing first, which was fine by him...he just didn't know what to sing.

Just when Kurt was about to start working on some history work, his phone went off again. _Rachel give it up,_ he thought, until he noticed that it wasn't Rachel - it was Puck.

"Noah. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hey there Princess, what did you do to Rachel? She's stomping around the choir room, yelling about how impossible you are. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine...Rachel just thought she could help me with my audition song. She didn't seem to appreciate my concerns with her choices."

"I thought Finn said you already knew what you were singing. Besides, what difference does it make? You've got an awesome voice, dude - and not just with the girly, higher sounding stuff. Hell, we've seen you do Mellencamp, and even though it was bizarre for you, you know how to work a lower voice too."

Kurt fell against the bed with a groan. "Please don't bring that up again. I can never live that week down. If you have to mention my lower register, our funk number is much more enjoyable to remember."

"Noted. So what are you gonna sing then? I dunno what Amita thing Rachel was talking about, but I have a suggestion for you."

"It's _Evita_, Puck, look it up. And what's your suggestion?"

"You should do that gravity song you purposely screwed up last year."

Kurt's jaw dropped. Nobody but his dad knew he messed up on purpose during the diva-off. How did Puck, of all people, know?

"I have no idea what you're talking about Puckerman."

"Cut the crap, Hummel. Did you really think none of us would figure it out?"

"Who all knows?"

"I think everyone but Rachel has their suspicions. Even Mr. Schue admitted to it. He said he heard you before the sing-off doing scales on the piano. He was disappointed that after how hard you fought for it, you just gave up...to Rachel. You two were enemies most of sophomore year. "

"Not enemies, exactly...we're divas. There's a difference."

"Not really, Kurt, but I'll let that slide." Kurt rolled his eyes. "Seriously though, that's **your** song. Don't just use some top 40 song just to get in with them - that ain't your style. If nothing else, it shows off your normal vocal range and the amount of emotion you put into it is amazing. If the garblers don't take you in, they're deaf."

Kurt couldn't help but smile. "Never knew you enjoyed my singing so much Puck. I'm touched."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't spread it around, you got that? I still have a rep to worry about." Kurt heard some scuffling over the line. "Listen, I gotta go - Satan and Berry are having a minor disagreement and I have some chips in my bag. Do the song - I'll know if you don't."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Puck...really."

"No prob. Later."

Kurt threw his phone on the bed for a second time, this time in shock. Noah Puckerman, bad ass of McKinley, just called him to tell him to do_ Wicked_, or else.

It was the strangest threat he'd ever had.

* * *

Puck had barely hung up the phone when Finn sat down next to him, ignoring the catfight going on in front of the room.

"So...how'd it go?"

"I don't think we have anything to worry about. By the end of the week, Kurt will be a Warbler, and officially, our competition."

"Did you mention the recording I have of him singing it?"

"Nope. But do us all a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Rachel anything about Kurt's singing, even just in passing. The girl doesn't know when to quit."

"I've noticed." Pause. "You sure you don't have a crush on Kurt?"

"Shut up Hudson. I thought I made it clear that I approve of the hobbit...as long as he doesn't take his sweet time."

"Whatever you say dude."

* * *

As much as Kurt wanted to be a part of the Warblers, he didn't want to interrupt them mid-season like this. Sectionals were in two weeks. He'd already tried persuading the council that letting him try out _after_ the competition was fine - he didn't want to intrude on whatever they had been working on up to this point. He also mentioned how though picking up choreography wasn't a weakness of his, he wasn't really the best dancer.

All of his excuses fell on deaf ears, as no one would take 'no' for an answer. David and Thad had already assured him that the choreography he saw during _Teenage Dream_ was kind of the extent of it. They said the true talent of an a capella was all in the music, not the steps. They didn't use a boom box or a band, so they needed to be able to harmonize and create their own rhythms without losing their breath, which explained the easy and repetitive steps. Wes, on the other hand, told him he was trying out whether he liked it or not - end of discussion.

So when the day came for him to audition, Kurt was slightly freaking out. He was pacing outside the practice room in agitation. What if he made a fool out of himself? Or what if they didn't like it? He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt someone put their hands on his shoulders.

"Whoa - Kurt, sorry, it's just me." Kurt turned around to see Blaine. He let out a breath before slapping Blaine's arm.

"Oh my gaga, Blaine - I told you not to do that! Where did you come from? I thought you were inside already."

"Wes wanted to make sure you showed up. He seems to think you're gonna bail or something. I volunteered - I wanted to check up on you anyway. You seem nervous."

Kurt sighed, "I am nervous. I don't want to disappoint anybody, most of all myself."

"Don't worry about what they think. I've heard you sing and you're gonna knock it out of the park. Did you bring a cd or your ipod with you? You've been very secretive about your song choice."

Kurt shook his head. "I thought that it would make more sense to do something without it, I mean, I'd have to get used to it anyway, right? Why not start now?"

Blaine smiled at Kurt's show of effort, "That's very admirable of you. Does your song sound better with backup? I can always hum in the background for you."

"Thanks, but the song I'm doing has a pretty soft and simple tune, so singing it without the music won't make it sound all that different. I think I'll be fine on my own." Kurt pinched the bridge of his nose and made a noise that sounded like a growl. "Of course, I'd feel better if this headache would go away."

Blaine looked at Kurt with concern. "Are you up to doing this today? You've had that headache all day."

"More like the last week. I'm fine. It's probably from a bunch of things. It's not every day I go from being in the hospital to transferring to a new school with a completely different understanding to what I've been accustomed to, not to mention fitting in with everyone and not having panic attacks. Oh and not sleeping well and worrying about this damn audition…"

Blaine could tell that Kurt wasn't aware of his pending panic attack, so he took care of that for him. He tugged Kurt forward and pulled him to his chest into a hug. Kurt sucked in a lot of air, before slowly letting it out. He laid his head on Blaine's shoulder and couldn't deny how nice it felt. He always calmed down quickly whenever Blaine did this for him. When he felt better, he stepped back and saw worry-filled hazel eyes looking at him.

"You alright, Kurt? Can't say I wasn't expecting that."

"I will be...thanks. Can we go in now?"

Blaine knew they'd talk later, but for now, he'd let it go. He pulled out his phone and sent a text to David to see if they could come in yet. He got a quick answer back and looked at Kurt.

"They're ready for you...you prepared to wow them?"

Kurt smirked and said, "Definitely - lead the way."

* * *

The Warblers were sitting all over the practice room; some were in chairs, and some were on the floor. Jeff had made himself comfortable by cuddling into Nick's side. Everyone was eager to hear Kurt's audition. They had heard rumors about his singing voice, and some of them had placed bets to see how high or low he could actually go. However, nobody was more excited than Wes.

David, Wes, and Thad were behind the table in the front of the room, waiting for Kurt and Blaine to come in from the hallway. David and Thad had mutually agreed to hide the gavel, at least for now, something that Wes was less than pleased about. Thankfully everyone backed the duo up - they didn't want to scare Kurt away just yet.

Everyone had found out by accident that the loud noise it made reminded Kurt too much of the sound of his head hitting the bench in the locker room. Some of them didn't understand how a head hitting a bench could sound like a gavel hitting a table, but in retrospect, none of them really wanted to think about that happening.

Surprisingly, the sound of David's cell got everyone's attention, almost better than Wes's feared gavel. David looked at the text message and looked to Wes and Thad for the okay.

"It's Blaine - he wants to know if it's safe to come in now."

There was barely a pause when Wes answered with a resounding "YES! Tell him to get their butts in here."

Needless to say, several jaws dropped around the room. Wes was usually the proper one, and hearing him say 'butts' was a shock. No one had time to comment on it - the missing boys had just entered the room.

* * *

_So this must be what animals at the zoo feel like._

That was the first thought that came to Kurt's mind as he followed Blaine into the room. He was surprised at the smiles of encouragement he received as he walked towards the council's table. Even though he'd been able to keep the panic attack at bay outside, he wasn't so sure now. Wes was bouncing in his seat, and only after David whispered in his ear - probably a threat - did the Asian calm down...kinda.

"Attention fellow Warblers. I'm sure you're all as excited as I am to hear from our potential new member, who will be auditioning today to join us. Kurt, why don't you give us a brief summary of your vocal background, for those that don't know."

Kurt didn't think he was going to be given a chance to talk about himself ahead of time, but since there were a lot of people he hadn't met yet, it was only fair.

"Um, sure. As Wes said, my name is Kurt and I've just transferred from McKinley High in Lima. I was one of the original members of the New Directions, which was formed at the beginning of last year. We managed to make it to Regionals before losing to Vocal Adrenaline - "

Groans, boos, and the sound of a sob - from Thad, oddly enough - showed that they knew of Vocal Adrenaline...and there was no love lost.

" - and when we weren't doing whatever we could to make people like us, we'd have weekly assignments or projects for fun. I was also on the Cheerios for a while, where I did vocals at the same time as the routines - "

"Oh my god - I knew I recognized you when we met! You guys won Nationals when you did that insane 14-minute Celine Dion song in FRENCH!" yelled Beatz.

Trent looked at him with wide eyes, "How the hell do you know that?"

Beatz had the decency to blush and half-mumbled a response, "My cousin was on one of the squads and showed me the video afterwards. She was so jealous by the way, Kurt. And to be honest, if you didn't win, I would've demanded a re-vote."

It was Kurt's turn to blush, "Um, thanks. Yeah, I've been singing for as long as I can remember. As I've said to my friends before, I make my living singing girl songs, since it's easier and more natural for me to sing high. However, I can sing in a lower register, which classifies me as a countertenor, which from my understanding, is why part of your council is bouncing in his seat."

The rest of the boys looked at Wes, and sure enough, was still bouncing in his seat. "Don't look at me like that. Once you hear him, you'll be amazed."

Thad leaned toward Wes, "Dude, calm down. If you spook him, he'll leave." David took a more direct approach and just smacked Wes in the back of the head.

Blaine also saw the look on Kurt's face and decided to move things along, "Kurt, what song are you going to sing for us? You've been keeping everyone in the dark, including myself, and I can't wait to hear it."

Kurt threw him a grateful look, "I'm going to sing _Defying Gravity_ from the fantastic show that is _Wicked_. And as a way to show my gratitude to you all for helping me get situated here, I will be doing it with me, myself, and I - no backup music." He looked to the council for the go ahead.

Wes was more than ready. "Whenever you're ready then, Kurt."

Kurt took a deep breath, got a 'thumbs up' from both Blaine and Jeff, and just sang.

_Something has changed within me,_

_Something is not the same._

_I'm through with playing by the rules_

_Of someone else's game._

_Too late for second-guessing, _

_Too late to go back to sleep._

_It's time to trust my instincts, _

_Close my eyes and leap._

_It's time to try_

_Defying gravity_

_I think I'll try_

_Defying gravity_

_Kiss me goodbye I'm_

_Defying Gravity_

_And you won't bring me down... _

_I'm through accepting limits_

_'Cause someone says they're so._

_Some things I cannot change, _

_But till I try, I'll never know._

_Too long I've been afraid of_

_Losing love I guess I've lost._

_Well, if that's love, _

_It comes at much too high a cost! _

_I'd sooner buy_

_Defying gravity._

_Kiss me goodbye, _

_I'm defying gravity._

_I think I'll try_

_Defying Gravity_

_And you won't bring me down._

_I'd sooner buy_

_Defying gravity._

_Kiss me goodbye, _

_I'm defying gravity._

_I think I'll try_

_Defying Gravity_

_And you won't bring me down._

_Bring me down! _

Kurt had closed his eyes after holding out the last note, slightly afraid to see the reactions of the Warblers now that he was done. It was quiet for a full five seconds before the boys broke out of their stupor and noise filled the room. There was applause, whistling, and some interesting comments, including but not limited to:

"Holy shit - that was amazing!"

"I don't think we need to vote."

"Kurt, you killed it! Bravo!"

Eventually everyone calmed down, though without the beloved gavel, it took longer than usual. In the end, Wes stole David's phone and made it chime again, and when that didn't work, sent a mass text with the message 'shut up so we can vote him in!'

Blaine saw Kurt looking slightly distressed, especially when cell phones started going off. He got up from the sofa and approached Kurt, pulling him into another hug.

"I don't know what to say, Kurt. That was incredible."

"Thanks, Blaine. You don't know what that means to me."

Blaine stepped back, giving Kurt a full view of the council, all three showing smiles and deliberating amongst themselves. _Put me out of my misery, Wes._ Kurt just wanted to know what the final decision was. He put a lot of emotion into that song, and combined with the headache, he was in desperate need of his bed.

Wes, Thad, and David broke out of their huddle, with Wes clearing his throat and looking first at Kurt, then the room as a whole.

"All in favor of allowing Kurt to join the Warb - "

"Hell yes!"

"Jeffrey! Nick control your boyfriend."

"Sorry Wesley, I've tried. It's a lost cause."

Wes sighed, "All in favor of allowing Kurt to join the Warblers, raise your hand."

Every hand went up, though Jeff made sure both of his and Nick's arms were in the air.

"Any opposed?"

Nope.

"Congratulations Kurt. Welcome to the Warblers."

* * *

Kurt had almost forgotten that tomorrow was an in-service day, which meant three day weekend. They had had a half-day of classes before the Warblers meeting, so it was only about three o'clock. Apparently, many of the boys were going home for the weekend. Blaine and Kurt were walking back to the dorms, with Kurt still in a state of shock and Blaine making fun of him for it.

"I don't know why you're so surprised, Kurt. Your voice is one of a kind. And I don't know if you noticed, but everyone voted for you."

"I noticed. Hey, what did the text say? The one Wes sent out before the vote?"

"See for yourself." Blaine gave his phone to Kurt after opening the message again.

"Wow...he's not going to leave me alone, is he?"

"Probably not. Just keep in mind that if you can last through Sectionals, you're definitely a Warbler for life. Wes goes a little crazy for the competitions."

"Geez Blaine. You wait til now to tell me?"

Blaine just smirked in reply, and decided to change the subject. "So what are you gonna do now that we have a three day weekend?"

"I'm going home. I didn't get to spend a lot of time in the new house before coming here - we only finished moving in two days before I had to move in here. I still haven't set my room up the way I want it, so I figured I'd take advantage of the break.

"What about you? Are you going home or staying put?"

Blaine actually had a small smile on his face. "My parents are supposed to be in town, so I thought it'd be nice for us to do something. My brother is stuck at school, though. Would've been nice for us all to be in the same place again."

Kurt wasn't sure if he completely believed him. From what he knew, the Andersons weren't the most lovable parents, well, at least to Blaine. That didn't mean he didn't try to gain their approval. He'd only known Blaine for two months and was impressed. He was smart, helpful, popular and athletic - in short, awesome. Even his dad was impressed, and they'd only spoken to each other a handful of times.

"Well, that's great Blaine. I hope you have a good time with them, then." Kurt heard his phone beep. "Oh crap, I forgot about that meeting."

"What meeting?"

"I'm supposed to be meeting with Madame Moreau to talk about the tutoring job. She's giving me a copy of her syllabi so I know what students are doing in class. Can't help them if I don't know what they're doing, right? Especially if they're anything like Beatz, who really should've taken another language, though I give him points for effort. Do you know where her office is?"

"Umm...maybe? If it's near Signore Franco's office, we'll be good. I'll take you there and we'll hope for the best, sound good?"

* * *

Lucky for Kurt, Blaine's assumption was right, and after quick introductions in French, with Blaine replying in Italian, Kurt was left in the French teacher's office, while Blaine returned to his room to pack.

Almost an hour later, Kurt was on his way back to the dorms carrying a box full of binders. Madame Moreau was very organized. Each binder had a syllabus for each grade level, including practice sheets and old exams that could be used as teaching aides. Kurt was glad for the weekend to look them over, and excited to formally get started.

He was just passing by Blaine's room when he noticed that something wasn't quite right. Blaine's door was cracked open, and Kurt could hear him talking to someone. It wasn't until he moved around that he realized Blaine was on the phone, and from the sad look on his face, it wasn't good news.

"Yes Mom, I understand." Pause. "But you promised you would be home - " Sigh. "No, I'll just stay here. There's no point going home to an empty house, when at least I have a chance of hanging around here with someone." Another pause. "Love you too. Say hi to Dad for me. Bye."

Blaine sighed again before throwing his phone on the desk, and himself on the bed. Kurt could just make out him talking to himself.

"'Sorry dear, but we're still in California…thought your next break wasn't until Thanksgiving'...give me a freaking break. Rather be here anyway." Kurt took that as his cue to go to his room, just as he heard Blaine throw his packed bag at the wall.

* * *

"Hey Kurt. Ready for the weekend?"

"Hi Dad...yeah, can't wait."

Burt stared at the phone. As he's said before, he may be slow on the uptake, but when it counts, he could tell when something is wrong.

"Okay - spill. I was expecting excitement, and it was there last night. What's wrong?"

Kurt mentally smacked his head. Of course his father could tell that something was wrong. He bit his lip, wanting to tell him about Blaine, but at the same time, wanting to keep it to himself.

"It's Blaine...well not Blaine, exactly. More like his parents."

Yeah, so much for not talking.

"How about we back up for a sec. take a breath and help your old man out. Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Is Blaine okay?"

"Not exactly."

_Okay, we're getting somewhere, _thought Burt.

"What's wrong with Blaine? Is he hurt?"

"Yeah, just not physically."

"And it has something to deal with his parents?"

"Yeah." Pause. "Dad, how long have you known I had a break coming up?"

"Since we got the school calendar and hung it up, why?"

"Blaine's parents promised to be home, and they forgot about him...they're currently on the west coast, with no intentions of changing their plans."

_That's absurd. I know he said his parents weren't home much, but this is ridiculous._

"So what's Blaine doing now? Is he going to someone else's house?"

"Apparently not. He's planning on staying here in the dorms, but almost everyone is either gone or leaving soon. I don't think he's planning on saying anything to anyone."

Another pause.

"I don't wanna just leave him here, Dad. It's not fair."

Burt didn't miss a beat before telling Kurt, "Well, bring him here then. Finn is spending the night at Puck's… said something about a video game, duty calls or something."

"You mean _Call of Duty_, Dad. They're probably fighting Sam and Artie again for bragging rights. Wait, you said 'bring Blaine here'?"

"Yeah why not. You still need to set up your room here anyway. The two of you will have a good time, he can help you unpack, and you can keep him company. Besides, Carole would love to get to know him too. She's in love with his 'dapper charm' or something to that effect. It's a win-win for everybody."

Kurt didn't know what to say at first.

"...are you sure?"

"Positive. We'll set the table for four...think you'll be here by 6:30?"

"Definitely doable...thanks Dad."

"No problem. If he's reluctant, call me back and give him the phone. I'll get him to the car."

"DAD! Seriously? I don't think that'll be necessary."

"See you soon Kurt." And with that, the conversation was over. Kurt was left staring at the phone.

_Well, you heard Dad. Time to get a certain Warbler out of his room and on the road._

* * *

Blaine was still face down on his bed when he heard a soft knock on the door. He wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone and was about to tell them to go away, when -

"Blaine? It's Kurt...can I come in?"

Blaine lifted himself off the bed and sat on the edge of it before telling Kurt to come in.

"Hey Kurt, I thought you were leaving right from your meeting."

"Well, I had to get my stuff first...are you alright Blaine? I thought you would've been gone by now."

"Oh, yeah, um...I had to do a few things first, so I figured I could leave later. My parents can wait for me."

Kurt knew he had to go about this lightly. He bit his lip again, and decided to just go ahead and say it,

"Why are you lying to me?"

"Kurt, I'm not lying - "

"Blaine, I heard your conversation earlier when I got back."

Oh. Crap.

"Your door wasn't closed, and you weren't exactly quiet about it. I know they're your parents, but obviously they don't know you like I do. You may seem like you don't care about it, but I can tell it's hurting you."

Blaine was surprised at the amount of concern and caring that was on Kurt's face. Two months, and this boy knew him almost as well as he knew himself.

"I didn't want anyone's pity. Everybody was so excited to go home, and even though I figured this would happen, I was still wishing that for once, they'd come through for me. What am supposed to do?"

"Come home with me."

Blaine knew he must've heard wrong. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Come with me to Lima. My dad practically invited you himself. I'm under instructions to make you speak with him if you don't comply. Besides, we'll have more fun together than if you stay here alone. I still need to unpack my room, but I have quite an impressive dvd collection. We can have a movie marathon and eat junk food, go shopping, or whatever.

"Sounds better than just hanging out here, doesn't it?"

For a moment, Kurt wasn't sure if he'd been successful, and was ready to pull out his phone when -

"Are you sure it's okay if I come?" Blaine sounded so pathetic that Kurt almost wanted to cry.

"Yes, and if we leave now, we'll make it home in time for dinner. Carole is cooking tonight and she makes a great chicken and rice meal."

"I do like chicken and rice." Blaine smiled at Kurt, got off of his bed, and asked, "What are we waiting for? Dinner awaits."

Kurt sent a quick text to his dad before following Blaine out the door.

_**WE'LL be there soon. :-)**_


	3. Weekend at Kurt's

**Hi again everyone! I've made up some more characters, but don't worry too much about them. They're here to help me; you'll see as you read. This is another lighthearted installment, and you'll also notice a few French words as you go. I took Spanish in school, not French, but I'm sure you will be able to figure out what they mean. If I have something written in error, please feel free to let me know and I'll fix it. (I try not to use online translators b/c they aren't always reliable, but I didn't have anyone to consult with)**

**Once again, thanks for the reviews and alerts. It truly means a lot to me. There is one review in particular that I want to answer: it was my first non-English one, which was just an awesome shock to me. I'm responding to it here, in Spanish. Why? I'm weird and wanted to give it a shot .**

**** I received a review from CandyCriss and it was all in Spanish. I spent an hour and a half with my dictionary, my five years of schooling, and online translators (although they really didn't help as much as I'd hoped) to write a response, after spending an hour translating it in the first place. So if there are any major errors – more than likely with tenses - my apologies.

A CandyCriss: wow – una crítica totalamente en español ! Me alegro por lo que he mantenido mi Diccionario Español-Inglés. Así que aquí vamos:

-En mi fanfic, hice Dave a ser un imbécil, así que sí, no ve nada de malo con lo que hizo a Kurt.. Su madre es homofóbica pero su padre no es homofóbico.  
- No sé si o cuando Dave se enterará de que Kurt está embarazada. Mientras tanto Dave está en cárcel.  
-Kurt y Blaine son novios en el momento en que nace Zoe, pero no será comprometida o casada por un tiempo.  
- Blaine y Kurt vive en Dalton durante el año escolar. En este capítulo Blaine está pasando el fin de semana en la casa de Kurt  
-Dave es el padre biológico, pero él violó Kurt. Desde Blaine está ahí para todo el embarazo y no está dejando a Kurt, Kurt lo ve como el padre de Zoe. Con respecto al comentario de Kurt, Kurt se estaba burlando a Blaine.  
-Sí, Jeff puede quedar embarazada, pero Nick y Blaine no pueden.  
-Desde Blaine y Kurt son sólo novios (no esposos) Zoe seguirá un Hummel por ahora. Esto podría cambiar en el futuro a Hummel-Anderson ... No lo he decidido todavía.

Espero que me contestó todas sus preguntas. Muchas gracias por tu opinión! ****

**This chapter takes place after the previous chapter **_**Audition**_**.**

_**Weekend at Kurt's**_

_How the hell did I forget my backpack? And why are the dorms so far away from the lot?_

Thad was irritated with himself. He hated it when he forgot things in the dorms, though really, he didn't do it all that often. But he knew if he didn't bring his homework with him now, there was no way it was getting done Sunday night when he got back. He didn't have a whole lot to do, but he would rather get it done tonight and in the morning so he could enjoy the whole weekend.

He knew Blaine hadn't left yet - his car was still in his spot - so he figured he didn't need to have his room key out. He was beyond surprised to see that their room was locked. He saw Wes and David leaving their respective rooms and asked if they had seen Blaine leave yet.

"We said goodbye earlier during the chaos. He said he was going to wait for the underclassmen to leave before venturing out, considering most of them can't drive yet and they were waiting for rides. Why?" David asked.

"Our door's locked...maybe I did that when I left the room earlier? I dunno," said Thad, as he unlocked the door. "Hey Blaine - you here?"

Wes and David poked their heads into the room and noticed the same thing Thad had: no sign of Blaine.

"He must've left already, Thad. His bag's gone," said Wes.

"His car is in the lot," Thad looked at the desk, "and here's his keys. How else would he go home if not by his car?"

They looked at each other for a moment before all three of them pulled out their cell phones.

"Wait - if all three of us call at the same time, none of us will get thru. Maybe he hitched a ride with Nick and Jeff. Nick's not that far from his house and Blaine probably wanted company." Leave it to Wes to be the voice of reason.

"That's a possibility, but I doubt Blaine will be able to get into his house without his key. His parents probably aren't even home yet," said David.

"If they bothered to remember that he even **had** a break," mumbled Thad.

The boys sighed, before deciding to try calling Blaine to see where he was. David put the phone of speaker and they heard it ring three times before they heard, "_Hello_?"

"Blaine it's David, Wes, and Thad...where are you? Your car and keys are here and you're not."

"_Oh I had a change of plans. Kurt invited me to his house. We're in his car on the way to Lima. Didn't make sense to take both cars._"

"Your parents forgot, didn't they?"

_"Yeah. Kurt found out and took it upon himself to kidnap me, with his father's insistence. I wasn't going to say anything to you guys - you all already had plans and I didn't want to get in the way."_

"We've told you before that you're welcome to come over to any of our places, but I'm sure you'll have a great time with Kurt. What are you two gonna do?"

_"A little of this, a little of that...we're gonna probably watch movies and lounge, maybe go shopping? I dunno. But I'm fine. Go enjoy your weekend."_

"Alright. Tell Kurt we said 'hi' and we'll see you both on Sunday."

"_Okay _Dad_, thanks. Bye."_

David closed his phone and laughed at the looks on the others' faces. It truly was hard to believe that Blaine actually left Dalton to go to another person's house. Usually he stayed at the school unless they were told to go home because the school would be locked down for maintenance or something.

"At least we know he's in good hands. Kurt will take care of him."

"Why can't he just tell us when his parents do crap like this? His mother actually promised him weeks ago they'd be in town. This is bull."

Wes responded, "Because that's how Blaine is, you know that, Thad. At least we know where he is, and it's not like we have to worry about him - he's with Kurt."

"Five bucks says they get together by Thanksgiving."

"I don't think so...I mean yeah, they definitely look cute together, but I don't see them becoming boyfriends for some time yet. I'll bet for Christmas."

"David! You can't just bet on our friends like that!"

David rolled his eyes at Wes. "And why not? It's going to happen eventually; even you have to admit to that."

"I'm not disputing that, David, but do you have to bet money on it?"

"If it makes you feel better, we won't...okay?" asked Thad.

"It does. Thank you. Now, I have to go - I promised to pick up Becky from Crawford."

"Alright then. See you later Wes."

"Bye guys."

As soon as Wes turned down the stairs, Thad and David looked at each other.

"So...five bucks?"

"You're on."

Blaine started to get nervous as they got closer to Kurt's house. He'd been there a couple of times already, and he'd survived talking to Burt already, so why was he freaking out? Maybe it was the fact that he hadn't really spoken to Carole all that much, or Finn for that matter. Or maybe it was because it wasn't just a quick visit, but three days? Blaine was beginning to panic when Kurt had had enough.

"Stop freaking out, Blaine. Dad likes you, Carole likes you, and if you start talking football to Finn, he'll like you too, but you won't have to worry about him til tomorrow. You'll be fine and we're going to have a great weekend."

Blaine looked at Kurt and noticed the little smirk on his face. "You seem real sure about that. What if I do something stupid or make a fool of myself or Finn wants to hurt me or -"

Kurt had thankfully pulled into his driveway by this point. He parked, turned off the car, and turned to face Blaine.

"You are worrying over nothing. They are going to love you. I don't know if you've realized this, but you are quite the charmer. Dad already approves of you, and although you haven't really interacted with Carole, even dad mentioned she likes your 'dapper charm'. Finn and the rest of the guys approve of you too. So you have nothing to worry about, got that?"

Blaine nodded, "I got it. Sorry."

Kurt smiled and grasped his hand, "You're cute when you're worried. I'm going to borrow a line from you, and then we're going into the house: Courage."

Blaine stared for a moment and then started to laugh, "You are the only person that can get me to stop spazing over little stuff."

"Yes, well that's what I'm here for...ready to go inside?"

"Dad? Carol?"

"In the kitchen."

"Be there in a minute." Kurt proceeded to put his stuff down by the front door. "Blaine, just leave your stuff here. We'll bring it to my room later. Dinner is probably ready."

The boys left their stuff in the living room and made their way into the kitchen. Blaine was taking in the house, and was surprised to feel how homey it felt; though he could tell it wasn't done yet. Kurt looked around himself. He hadn't been gone long but he already felt bad for not being able to help get the house in order before leaving for Dalton. They entered the kitchen just in time to see Carole put food on the table.

"Hello boys, hope you're hungry."

"For food that smells that good, definitely."

"Why thank you, Blaine. You two go ahead and sit down. I just need to grab one more thing." Carole moved toward the stairs. "Burt! Kurt and Blaine are here and dinner's ready. It's safe to come down now."

Kurt laughed while Blaine just looked confused. "My dad is a hazard in the kitchen. Better than Finn, mind you, but not by much. Carole and I do the real cooking around here."

"Good to know," Blaine replied as Burt came down the stairs.

Burt pulled Kurt into a tight hug before saying, "It's good to see you home, kid. We miss you around here," before turning to Blaine and saying, "it's good to see you too, Blaine. I'm glad you came."

"I was under the impression that I had to come or else," he said with a smile, "It's good to see both again as well, sir."

"None of that 'sir' stuff. Burt is fine." Everyone sat down and dinner was served. Blaine had taken a few bites and couldn't resist making a comment about it.

"This is fantastic, Mrs. Hudson-Hummel. Chicken and rice is one of my favorite dishes."

"Thank you Blaine, and Carole is fine, or Mrs. H works too. That's what most of the boys use."

Blaine was blown away by Burt and Carole at dinner. He had only been hoping to be included in the conversation, but he never expected to be asked questions like 'how was school', 'do you enjoy being a Warbler', and 'has Kurt driven you crazy yet'. His parents never cared enough to ask, and for two people who barely knew him to ask him how his day was...it was awesome.

Kurt had noticed that Blaine seemed overwhelmed, but in a good way, so in order to keep him calm, he grabbed his hand under the table and gave a gentle squeeze. Blaine sent a smile Kurt's way to show he got the message. Soon enough, everyone was finished eating, and Burt was curious about the boys' plans.

"So what are you two going to do all weekend? If you're planning on having a movie marathon, most of them haven't been unpacked yet."

Kurt looked at Blaine before answering, "Haven't figured that out yet, Dad, although Blaine has offered to help me get my bedroom situated - I know for sure that all of my stuff is still in boxes. My radio was the first thing I unpacked, so we can listen to music while we do that."

"That'd be great, Kurt. I know how excited you were to decorate. It's a shame you weren't able to get anything done before you transferred. I bet your dorm looks better than your bedroom right now. Do you know what you have in mind?"

Kurt replied, "I made a sketch of what I want to do. It was a nice break in between all of the catch-up work I was doing. I'm actually really excited to finally start attending classes on Monday. If I have to look at one more packet, I don't know what I'll do."

Blaine grinned before saying, "And just think: not only do you start classes, but your first official Warbler practice is on Tuesday."

Carole was about to ask something when the phone rang. She got up to answer it, saw who it was on the caller id and handed the phone to Burt.

"Hey Kevin, how's it goi-"

_"BURT! I don't know what to do!"_

Even though the phone wasn't on speaker, everyone else could hear the panic thru the phone. Kurt reacted faster than Burt was expecting and grabbed the phone.

"Kevin - it's Kurt. You need to stop yelling and tell me what's going on. Otherwise I'll hang up."

_"No, I'm sorry, please don't hang up."_

"Take a breath and then tell me what's wrong." While Kurt was on the phone, Blaine looked at Burt and Carole with a puzzled look on his face. Burt was focused on Kurt, so Carole spoke to Blaine.

"Kevin works at the shop with Burt. From my understanding, Kevin was a pseudo-big brother when Kurt was younger. Kevin's wife Laura is pregnant with their first, and he's been on baby alert for the last two weeks. When he gets hysterical like this, Kurt can usually get him to make sense."

While Carole explained that to Blaine, Kevin paused long enough to show he was listening to Kurt, before calmly trying again._ "Laura's been in a lot of pain today, so she stayed in bed. She said she actually felt a little better, and then had a really bad contraction and her water broke. Now I'm freaking out and she's not and I don't know what I'm doing!"_

Kurt rolled his eyes, "First of all, she's the one having the baby, and you're not helping by panicking. Go get a drink of water, but put Laura on the phone first."

There was noise on the phone to show he was complying before a female voice came on the phone.

_"Kurt, you're one of the few that can make that man calm down. What did you say to him?"_

"Told him to take a second. How far apart are the contractions?"

_"About 10 minutes or so. I didn't think I was in labor, but my back's been bothering me all day and I was miserable, which has been the norm for a while now...I didn't think it was anything worse."_

"Don't worry about it. That's normal for first time moms - you know that. Now, are the two of you dressed? Your hospital bag packed?"

_"Yes, and yes - it's in the closet. Ow- that one wasn't 10 minutes."_

"Trust me, you're doing fine. Now, put that husband of yours back on the phone. You'll do great, and I expect pictures tomorrow."

Laura laughed on the line, before Kevin took over again. _"...hi Kurt."_

"Have you calmed down a little now? It's time for you to man up and get your wife to the hospital...unless you plan on delivering your daughter yourself."

_"I don't think I could handle doing that."_

"Then this is what you're going to do. Get the bag out of the closet, get Laura and get in the car. The sooner you get to the hospital, the sooner you two get to meet your daughter. Can you handle that, or should I call an ambulance for you?"

_"No I can do all that...are you sure you're only 17? You sound old."_

"It's called maturity, which makes me wonder if you ever finished going thru it. Now don't worry about your shifts - we'll take care of it. Just worry about yourselves and keep us posted. Understood?"

_"Aye, aye Captain...thanks Kurt."_

Kurt hung up the phone and started laughing at the look on Blaine's face. "What?"

"Nothing. So I take it that was a first-time dad freaking out?"

"Freaking out is an understatement, but they'll be fine. If she has to, Laura knows how to smack some sense into him - literally." Kurt looked at his father and asked, "You want me to call Rob and let him know? He's this weekend's standby for Kevin."

"I got it. I'll be right back." Burt took the phone into the other room to call Rob, one of their younger mechanics, to let him know he was working for sure. Carole was laughing to herself before saying to Kurt, "It's a shame you weren't around when I had Finn. Christopher actually fainted _before_ we even got to the hospital. Luckily one of my girlfriends was able to drive us in because he was useless for most of the delivery."

"Seriously?"

Carole nodded, "Just because he was an army guy, doesn't mean he couldn't be a typical dad. Almost seems like a rite of passage or something. You're not considered a father-to-be until you have that initial mini-freak out. I know not all fathers do that, but from my experience that's what usually happens."

Burt walked back into the room a few minutes later, and sat down with a sigh.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"Rob is fine working Saturday and Sunday, but he can't work tomorrow. Apparently that in-service day is for everyone. He has to watch his siblings, since his parents are working. Most of the other guys are already either working or can't, and because of the in-service day, we're booked tomorrow with appointments, many of them with kids tagging along."

Blaine was trying to keep up with conversation, "Is it bad when kids tag along?"

Kurt saw that Blaine was getting lost in the conversation again. "We have a section of the shop set up as a waiting area, which is really only used when we have families come that have to hang around. When we have days like this, usually I go and help out at the shop. Sometimes I hang with the kids and watch Disney movies, and sometimes I'm working on cars. It's just something that keeps the kids occupied and their parents and other customers in a good mood."

"Can we help then? I can help out with the kids and you can help your dad on the cars. We have the whole weekend anyway, right? Besides, I'd love to see you get dirty."

Kurt's jaw dropped while Burt and Carole out-right laughed. "I don't even know how to respond to that."

Blaine just smirked and turned to Burt. "What do you think? You can use the help, and it's only for tomorrow, right? I'd volunteer to help in the shop, but my knowledge of cars is a little lacking. Watching Disney on the other hand..."

Kurt, in the meantime, had finally regained his composure. "He's right, Dad. While his car smarts aren't the best, he's a Disney expert. You won't need us the whole day, probably just late morning to the afternoon. What do you say?"

Burt looked at Kurt and Blaine, before looking at Carole. "What do you think?"

Carole replied, "Looks like you boys are spending the day at the garage."

Kurt and Blaine retrieved their stuff from the living room and headed upstairs to Kurt's bedroom. The spare bed and sheets were in the hallway already. Kurt opened the door and sighed before throwing himself on the bed and burrowing his head into the pillow.

"So, I take it you missed your bed?" said Blaine as he looked around. It was clear by the amount of boxes that Kurt really hadn't unpacked much.

"Oh, shut up. But since you asked, yes, as a matter of fact I did." Kurt got off the bed and motioned for Blaine to put his stuff down on the floor at the end of the bed. "There's really a lot of room in here, just cluttered at the moment. Best part is that I have my own bathroom, which is thru that door over there. We'll bring the spare bed in here once I move some of these boxes out of the way. I do know where the movies are, if you wanna watch one."

"That sounds fine. What time do we need to get up tomorrow?"

"Well Dad said we could come in around 9:30 and he'll try his best to get us out by 3:30, 4 at the latest...is that okay? We can get up between 8 and 8:30, have some breakfast and go over then."

They eventually cleared a space, set up the spare bed, and dressed in some pajamas. They were both debating on what to watch, when they heard a knock on the door.

"Goodnight boys, I've got the late shift tonight. See you in the morning."

Kurt and Blaine said goodnight and settled down to watch a movie, not realizing how close and comfortable they looked. They didn't make it to the end before falling asleep. Burt checked on them when he came upstairs and was surprised at the sight he found.

Kurt, who still had a lingering hesitation to any physical contact, was snuggled against Blaine like he was meant to be there. Blaine was laying with his chest to Kurt's back and was holding him tight. What shocked Burt the most was Kurt's face.

He hadn't looked that peaceful and relaxed in a long time.

Burt knew that Blaine was good for Kurt, but if the matching look of calm on Blaine's face was anything to go by, Kurt was good for Blaine too. And that was fine with him.

"Kurt, why are you in such a hurry to get to the shop?"

"Because one of my favorite people is bringing in her friend's car today and she's bringing her baby. You don't understand - she is the cutest thing and she's only six months old. She's gonna be a real heartbreaker."

Blaine saw how Kurt was bouncing in his seat and thought it was actually really funny, and cute. "Why is this person a favorite of yours?"

"Her name is Claudette, and she was born and raised in France. She came here five years ago as part of a study abroad program, met her sweetheart - Peter- and moved here. She's fluent in French, but still has a hard time with English. We spend a lot of time talking about anything and everything when she comes to get her car done. It's really thanks to her that I speak French so well. She finally convinced her friend to bring her car in AND she promised to bring Madeline with her."

"The baby's name is Madeline? Like the book with the little girl?"

"Yep."

"Cool. Can't wait to meet them. So you're the translator then?"

"Not so much anymore, though she's more confident speaking in French. Besides, she mentioned her friend speaks it too, so that could be a lot of fun. Did I mention that Claudette knows some Italian too?"

Blaine perked up at that. "Really? That would be fun. And if you're in the shop, I get to play with Madeline."

Kurt pouted, "Aww...well, as long as I get to hold her before I start working, that'll be fine."

Blaine rolled his eyes as Kurt pulled up to the garage.

"Claudette, I thought we were going to that place by my house."

"No Katelyn. This place is better. Besides, I want to introduce you to Burt's son. He speaks French like you wouldn't believe. He is very talented."

"Well I've just acquired a new junior tutor that is spectacular. He hasn't officially started yet, but he's helped several of my boys already."

"It'd be funny if your new student and my mechanic were the same person, no?"

"The world isn't that small, mon amie."

Burt was watching for the first few appointments to show while Kurt got Blaine situated in the waiting room area. He saw a blue car pull up that he didn't recognize, but when the driver stepped out, he grinned. Kurt wasn't the only one excited to see Madeline. He yelled back into the shop for Kurt to come to the front, and after hearing a 'be there in a minute', walked out to say hi.

"Bonjour Claudette. Long time no see."

"Bonjour Burt. Comment vas-tu?"

"Doing well. Kurt and a friend of his are helping out today; he'll be here in a minute. Kevin and Laura finally had the baby this morning."

"Finalement! Tell them I said félicitations."

"I'm guessing that means congrats?"

"Oui, it does. I knew you could pick up a few things." Claudette walked to the other side of the car where Katelyn had just pulled Madeline out. "Oh, this is my friend, Katelyn Moreau. Katelyn, this is Burt Hummel. He owns the garage and is very helpful."

"Wait a second - Hummel? Do you have son named Kurt?"

Burt didn't have to answer before Kurt came outside and ran straight for Claudette. He gave her a hug and immediately asked for Madeline, completely missing his teacher standing there, until -

"Kurt?"

"Madame Moreau?"

Burt saw the looks of shock on their faces and asked how they knew each other.

Katelyn spoke up first, "I don't know why I didn't put it together before. I'm the French teacher at Dalton. I just met with Kurt yesterday to go over the tutoring job. I had no idea you lived all the way out here, and I thought my half-hour drive was a hassle."

"That's why he boards during the week. I suppose this is when I say enchanté, right?"

"Not bad, Dad." Kurt turned to Claudette, "Can I see her now... s'il vous plaît?"

Claudette rolled her eyes before pulling Madeline out of the car seat and handing her off to Kurt. "Oh look how big she's getting! By the way, if you need a babysitter, don't hesitate to ask."

Burt wasn't surprised that Kurt was a natural with Madeline. He had a lot of experience babysitting all of the kids and most of the grandkids of everyone at the shop at some point over the last few years. That, and he was definitely good at taking care of others. None of them noticed Blaine come outside until he spoke.

"Hey Kurt, the VCR seems to hate me - Madame Moreau?"

"Bonjour Blaine." She turned to Claudette and said, "I stand corrected: le monde est petit, après tout."

Eventually, Burt told Kurt that there was work to be done and he had to hand over the baby. Claudette reclaimed her daughter - with protests from both Kurt and Madeline - and promised Kurt a babysitting day. Kurt pouted but swapped Madeline for her car key, asking Blaine to kindly escort the ladies to the waiting area. Madeline seemed interested in Blaine for some reason, and had no problems going from Claudette to Blaine.

Blaine entertained the trio and several other customers that showed up throughout the day. Some were dropping off, some were picking up, and some came with kids that headed straight for Blaine. Kurt checked on him when he could to see how he was making out. Whenever Blaine was free, he found Kurt and watched in amazement as he worked on car after car. Before either of them knew it, Burt told them they were free to go and enjoy their weekend.

"I don't know how to thank you both for helping out today. It's almost 3:30, and we're starting to slow down. Why don't you two head home? I'm sure you can find something to do. I'll be home by six."

Kurt decided to change out of his overalls before leaving, telling Blaine to go ahead to the car. When Blaine was out of sight, Burt pulled his son to the side.

"Something wrong, Dad?"

"Not wrong, just curious about something. How'd you sleep last night?"

Kurt raised an eyebrow before asking why.

"I went to say goodnight to you last night, and I just wasn't expecting the sight I got when I opened your bedroom door."

Kurt blushed and dropped his head a little. "Oh? What sight was that?"

"I think you know what I'm talking about. I figured I'd talk to you without Blaine nearby - didn't want to embarrass both of you at the same time."

"Gee, thanks. We got the spare bed set up, but decided to watch a movie first. We must have gotten too comfortable on my bed; I know we didn't finish the movie. It was a little awkward for us waking up this morning - we didn't realize how close we slept...I'm sorry."

Burt shook his head, "Don't be sorry, Kurt. I only ask because you looked so peaceful last night. I haven't seen you sleep that well in a long time."

Kurt gave him a little smile, "I don't think I've slept that well in a long time either. Blaine said the same thing about himself."

"As long you're both aware of each other's feelings and no one is being forced or uncomfortable, that's all that matters. Just keep an eye for Finn, though. I know you've both gotten past the whole 'new brothers' phase, but seeing the two of you cuddle may be too much for him, at least at this stage of the game. But I'll ask one more thing before I let you go. Do you have feelings for Blaine?"

_Oh you have to be kidding me- did he really just ask that?_ "What do you mean Dad? We're still 'sorta new' friends. Don't you think that would be rushing things a bit?"

"Humor me."

Kurt sighed, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't like him. There's an attraction there, for sure, but you don't have anything to worry about. I'm not exactly looking for a boyfriend right now."

"And if that's how you feel, then that's fine. But honestly - if he's worth it, don't let him go. He's good for you and whether you've noticed it or not, you're good for him too. I'd hate to see both of you lose out on something incredible. Just remember you mean the world to me, and if you two stay friends or become something more, I'm cool with it."

Burt was rewarded with a quick hug, which was unexpected. "Thanks Dad...I should probably get going before Blaine starts to wonder where I am. See you at home."

"Alright. Remember what I said."

_I officially have the best dad ever...although if he pulls out pamphlets and wants to give me 'the talk' or something equally embarrassing, I may need to reconsider._

The rest of the weekend went by quickly after that. Surprisingly enough, between getting home from the shop on Friday and all day Saturday, Kurt's room became boxless and clutter-free. They did homework on Sunday and even played some video games with Finn. Before long, it was time for them to pack up to return to Dalton.

"Dude, do you really have to leave now? You're kicking ass in this game."

"Yes _Finnegan_. Curfew is 9:30, and we still have to drive back."

Finn groaned, "Please don't call me that."

Kurt retaliated, "Then do not call me 'dude'. Just keep that in mind every time you want to."

"Can I respond to that by saying I was talking to Blaine?"

Finn received a look in return.

"Yeah, I'll just shut up now. Don't be a stranger - I know that you know how to text. You coming back next weekend?"

"Depends on school. I finally attend classes tomorrow, as well as tutoring, and we both have Sectionals coming up, too. I'm certainly gonna try though."

"I forgot about all that. Good luck with that and let me know how it goes."

"I will Finn, thanks. Blaine, you ready to go?"

Blaine held up his stuff. "Ready whenever you are."

Finn hated to see them go. He didn't really get to hang with them as much as he wanted to, but he did help them with Kurt's room, mainly with moving furniture. Playing video games was Kurt's way of saying thanks, but it was a total surprise to Finn that Kurt knew how to play as well as he did.

The Dalton boys put their stuff in the car before saying goodbye to Burt and Carole. After the typical 'keep us in the loop' and a reminder to Blaine to come over whenever, they were in the car. Before pulling out of the driveway, Kurt popped a couple of pills before drinking out of a water bottle. Blaine looked on in concern.

"That headache still there?"

"Not as bad as before. It's more of a general ache at the moment. I didn't want Dad to see me taking anything and worrying." Blaine just stared back at Kurt. "Really, Blaine, I'm fine. Although I still feel tired, I haven't felt this good in a while. I know it doesn't make sense, but it's probably all the physical stuff this weekend. I hadn't worked in the garage for almost a month, and what with putting my room together, it's no wonder I feel like a mess. I'll be fine in the morning."

"If you say so...not that I believe you."

"I know you don't, but thanks for caring. Now, it's your turn to pick some music. What do you -"

Kurt didn't get to finish before Blaine popped a cd in. Kurt just rolled his eyes as the music started up:

_You think I'm pretty without any make-up on_

_You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong_

_I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down _

"This is payback, I'm assuming." Kurt had put on Lady Gaga on the way to Lima, to some minor protest from Blaine.

"You know what happens when you assume…"

"It's a good thing you're cute, Anderson."

Blaine ignored Kurt and picked up the song by the time the chorus started.

_You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream_

_The way you turn me on, I can't sleep_

_Let's runaway and don't ever look back_

_Don't ever look back _


	4. Sectionals

**Sectionals**

* * *

Monday began Kurt's first active week of classes. He wasn't sure what to expect, but considering he'd been given several different interpretations of the daily grind at Dalton, he'd have to experience it for himself. McKinley High wasn't a private school, nor was it a top public school, but at least he knew that he didn't have to worry about jocks pushing him into lockers, slushies, or teachers that didn't care.

Wes assured him that he had nothing to worry about. Nick, David, and Beatz said it'd be a nightmare. Blaine and Jeff told him that it took some adjusting - they'd done the public to private transfer too - but if he got through the first week okay, he'd be fine. Thad and Trent were of the opinion that it really depended on not just the teacher or the subject, but how much you applied yourself.

Kurt, for the most part, wasn't overly concerned. He'd met all of his teachers several times to go over the catch-up work packets he had to do. All of them had been impressed with how quickly he picked up the material, and Kurt was surprised at how helpful they'd been.

Besides finally being able to attend classes, his first official Warblers practice would be that week, and he had less than two weeks to get ready for sectionals. His tutoring class would also be starting, yes, class. He had been told by Madame Moreau that she had heard great things from certain Warblers that he could manage several of them at one time, which was a feat she was in awe of. So instead of him doing one-on-one sessions, he'd be in charge of small groups to keep everyone caught up.

He was going to be in for a busy week.

* * *

And a busy week it was. By Wednesday, Kurt was in no mood to get out of bed. It wasn't that he didn't want to go to class, but he had been so worried about how the week would turn out, he'd practically made himself sick over it. He hadn't actually thrown up, but he'd been queasy on and off, which he just chalked up to nerves. He was still getting headaches, but sleep and ibuprofen seemed to help.

He knew that he couldn't afford to stay in bed today anyway, even though that sounded like an awesome idea. Today would be the busiest day of the week. He had classes all day, followed by a Warblers meeting, and a French lesson after dinner, with included some of the Warblers. He had timeslots Monday - Thursday, each day for a different level of French. Fridays were a free day for him, or if he so chose, a day to help anyone that needed extra help or missed a session.

Kurt did manage to eventually drag himself out of bed and got ready for classes. He was making sure he had all of his things together when he heard a knock on the door. A quick 'come in' revealed Blaine.

"Morning Kurt...you ready to go? I brought coffee and muffins."

"Thanks Blaine. I'll be ready to go in a minute, just making sure I have everything. How'd you make out with your English assignment? "

Blaine took a seat on Kurt's bed. "It's pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. Who knew taking a Shakespearian play and translating it into something that sounds gangster could be so much fun? It makes so much sense now."

Kurt spoke up without turning around. "You do realize that there is a series of books called _No Fear Shakespeare_, right? There are quite a few in the series and come in handy. One side of the page is in 'Shakespeare' and the opposite page is in 'normal English'. Though, it you want to be authentic, then you get used to dealing with the iambic pentameter."

Blaine was flabbergasted. "You mean to tell me there are books that have this crap translated already? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Hey, you just said you had a good time writing a different version of the story. And besides, how was I supposed to know you didn't know about them? They were the versions we used at McKinley - people kept losing or destroying the 'Shakespeare English' copies we had. Next time I know something that I think will benefit you, I'll speak up, okay?"

Blaine began to pout a bit, "Okay, you better...thanks."

"Come on Pouty Face, time to go."

* * *

The school day passed by quicker than Kurt expected. Before he knew it, it was time for Warblers rehearsal. When he entered the room, though, he was surprised to see semi-controlled chaos. Wes was obviously worked up over something, if him flailing his arms around was any indication. David was unsuccessfully calming him down, while Thad just sat back and rubbed the sides of his head.

Jeff and Nick sat on one of the couches, watching as Trent talked to some of the younger members. Blaine was on another couch, waiting for Kurt, for he had given up trying to help David with Wes. Beatz was in a chair, taking advantage of the delay to take a nap. Kurt went to sit next to Blaine, jumping slightly when Wes yelled again.

"Hey Kurt. Sorry that this is how your first meeting is going. Wes is freaking out about something and hasn't been calm enough to go into details. Thad told me what was going on though."

"And what exactly is going on? I've never seen Wes this animated before. I was expecting to get reprimanded for being the last one here."

"Apparently there's been a change of plans for Sectionals. For one, we're not competing against New Directions anymore. And two, we're now competing against a school new to competing...and Crawford."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "What? Sectionals are right around the corner, and all of a sudden they've changed the groups competing? That doesn't make any sense. We've all known since the start of October. I haven't heard anything from Finn or Mercedes about changes -" Kurt was interrupted by his cell going off. "Never mind."

_**Kurt! Mr. Schue just said ur not our compt nemore...wth? -Finn **_

Blaine read the text over Kurt's shoulder, "I guess they know now. Who do you think everybody's going against now then? They still going against the old people?"

"I'll ask him."

_**I just got to practice myself, Finn. Wes is having a meltdown so I haven't heard all of the details yet. You still going up against the Hipsters? All I know is that we're competing against our sister school, and some of the guys aren't handling it well. - Kurt**_

_**Yeah we r. them & some1 else that's never gone b4...idk who. Whos ur 3rd? -Finn**_

_**I'll let you know if we ever get this meeting started. -Kurt**_

"Finn's not sure who their third is. They are still singing against the Hipsters, though, so that's one group we don't have to worry about." Kurt looked up at the council's table and noticed that Wes was still going and that David had given up. "Why hasn't David or Thad used Wes's gavel yet? I'm sure he'd notice if someone else has touched his most prized possession."

Blaine gave him a sad smile, "He saw the way you reacted to it the first day you were here - when you were moving in - and we saw you flinch at the noise. Puck and Finn mentioned that it sounded like your head hitting a bench, so we've made it a point not to use it around you until we know it doesn't bother you."

Kurt was speechless. "I-I don't know what to say...but I thought that was the only way the council could get everyone's attention."

"Well, it was always the most effective. Gavels have been used for a long time. Nobody remembers why - it's considered tradition or something. Although Thad said David's ringtone worked well last week. He has several annoying ones."

"I'm trying to figure out what the problem is with Wes. Is it the fact that there's been a change-up and it's messing with his OCD, or is it because we'd be going up against sisters, cousins, and girlfriends and he doesn't want us to hurt their feelings when we win?" asked Nick.

Jeff spoke up from his spot on the couch. "Hey - should we call the girls? They're probably meeting now too, so they gotta know about the sudden change by now. I didn't think they had enough to compete."

Nick agreed, "That's not a bad idea. Who should do the talking and who are we calling? Our choices are: my sister, Kim; David's girlfriend, Michelle; Beatz's cousin, Marcia; Trent's sister, Danielle; Thad's girlfriend, Melissa; or Wes's girlfriend, Becky."

"I vote for Becky." The other boys turned toward the voice, not realizing that Beatz had woken up from his nap. "She's head of the Silvertones' council. Makes sense to talk to her directly. No offense, but Marcia's probably doing the same thing I am - waiting for the smoke to clear."

"Good point. But who's gonna talk to her?"

"Rock, paper, scissors?"

"I'll do it. I just need one of you to call for me."

Blaine pulled his phone out to place the call for Kurt, while Nick gave him a little salute. "Good luck to you, then. She's not as bad as Wes, but she's pretty close."

Kurt took the phone from Blaine, gaining a thumbs up from him and Jeff. Trent had wandered back over by this point, curious as to what was going on.

"Um, who's Kurt calling? And why do you all look suspicious?" he asked.

Jeff answered for the group, "Kurt volunteered to call Becky to get her opinion on the whole situation. She seemed to be the best choice of our connections, and Kurt can speak girl."

Trent was going to ask what that meant, but was shushed by Nick and Beatz.

_"Hello Blaine. I'd love to talk but this isn't a good time." _Yelling could be heard over the line.

"Hi Becky. My name's Kurt. I was hoping to speak to you about Sectionals, but it seems as if you're having a tough time as well. I've been informed that you would be the best person to speak to, not just as the Head of your council, but also as Wes's better half."

_Sigh. "Well, you've chosen the right person. You must be the new countertenor. How is Wesley handling it?"_

"Do you want me to be honest?"

_"No, that's alright. I think I can hear him in the background. Has David given up yet? I can't imagine him lasting long."_

"Almost, I know Thad gave up a little while ago. I got here a few minutes late and Wes didn't notice. I had to get the few details we know from Blaine. What exactly is the mood of your ladies?"

_"They are torn between forgetting about the whole thing, or risking relationship feuds when one of our groups win."_

"Why such late notice? We knew about the competition a while ago. Rumor has it, there weren't enough girls for you to compete."

_"From my understanding, they had pre-selected the groups ahead of schedule - they weren't supposed to be released until a couple weeks ago. Somehow, they missed bids from a few of us to enter into this year's competition, thus resulting in the flip-flop. Initially, we didn't have enough girls, but we fixed our schedules and all of a sudden we have a decent sized group. Oh by the way, for our area, it's us girls, you guys, and a new co-ed group from Northside Christian."_

Kurt covered part of the phone so he could pass the info along, "She said they released the lists too early, they do have enough to compete, and the other group is from Northside Christian - where's that?"

Blaine answered, "It's by St. Anne's Hospital. I think it's like 15 minutes or so from here. Private too, but co-ed."

"Does she know who replaced us in the other division?" asked Trent.

_"Tell Trent, Blaine, Nick, Jeff, and Jon I said 'hello', and I think it's Spencerville High that will be verses New Directions and the Hipsters."_

Kurt almost asked who Jon was, until he realized that Beatz did in fact have a real name. "Becky said Spencerville High is replacing us and she says 'hello' to Trent, Blaine, Nick, Jeff, and _Jon_." Beatz groaned in his hands. "Damnit Becky, he didn't even get a chance to guess."

The boys laughed at the scene, while Kurt looked on confused, before refocusing on the phone. "I'll ask about that later, but back to the topic at hand. I'm sure neither of us is willing to forfeit, and we're not going to let both of us forfeit, so the only option is to compete against each other. Can you and your girls deal with that, knowing the outcome could be good or bad?"

_"They better - there's no way I'm gonna let them get out of this - boyfriends, cousins or brothers be damned. I'm not going to let some newbies run all over us to win at their first showing either. How are you guys going to convince Wesley, though?"_

"Leave that to me. It was a pleasure speaking to you Becky. I'm sure Wes will be calling you later."

_"Ha. Thanks Kurt. If you have to, threaten him. Let him know I'll break up with him if he doesn't suck it up. Better yet - threaten Cynthia."_

"Who the hell is Cynthia?"

_"Not who, what."_

"What are you talk - the gavel has a name! You have to be freakin' kidding me."

_"Nice talking to you, Kurt. Good luck."_

Kurt gave Blaine his phone back, still a little dumbstruck. "_Cynthia_?"

"Yeah, forgot to tell you that…"

Kurt just rolled his eyes and got off of the couch. "Okay - I don't know about you guys but I believe it's time to get this rehearsal started."

Nick raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah? And how do you propose to do that?"

Kurt smirked, "Simple - just watch." With that, the group watched as Kurt walked up to the council's table and reach for the gavel.

Three hard knocks on the table is all it took before the room got quiet. Thad and David looked on in amazement, while Wes looked like he was about to pass out in shock.

"Alright. Now I know this is probably going against the rules, but I think enough is enough." Kurt paused to take a deep breath; he really didn't think _Cynthia_ was going to make that much noise, and hoped no one could see his hands quiver. "From what I gather, there has been a change of plans for Sectionals. Now instead of going against the Hipsters and the New Directions, we're going up against a rookie group and our sister school.

"What doesn't make sense to me is why this is a problem for you! The Warblers have been in competitions forever, and all of a sudden, when you have to compete against sisters and girlfriends, you guys are gonna wimp out?"

Kurt scanned the room and watched as some of the boys seemed to understand where Kurt was going with this speech. "So what if we're singing against Crawford? You're acting like you're going against Vocal Adrenaline, which is the only time this reaction should be allowed. And I'm speaking from experience. New Directions met them at Regionals last year, and that was _after_ dealing with their lead soloist trying to get with one of our girls.

"Now, I've already had the pleasure of speaking with one of the council members of the Silvertones. Becky and I discussed it and we've come to several conclusions. Since neither of us wants to forfeit, nor do either of us want to see the rookies win, the only logical choice is to suck it up and compete. I mean, honestly, this is the last year for some of you - don't you want to go to Sectionals and win, maybe make it to Nationals?

"So the way I see it, our only real choice is to compete and to bring our 'A' game. Besides, when we win, that gives you guys bragging rights over the girls. I know I've only recently acquired a stepbrother, but we've fought about stuff before - stupid stuff - and have come out better for it. Right now, _you all_ are acting like girls."

Kurt looked back over at Blaine and Jeff, and saw both of them smiling at him. Nick and Trent had thoughtful looks on their faces, while Beatz just sent him a thumbs up. David and Thad glanced at each other before nodding, as Wes finally seemed to rejoin the land of the living.

"Whether the real problem is that this is ridiculously short-notice and against the typical rules of the game, or that we're competing against friends and family - I don't care. Maybe it's because I was already resigned to the idea of going up against Finn and my friends, or that I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the ladies of Crawford, but I see this as another challenge to overcome.

"If we can't get up on a stage and have a friendly competition, then we don't deserve to go the Sectionals." Kurt walked back over to the table before turning and facing the room one last time. "Anyone opposed to going to Sectionals - raise your hand."

It took a moment but it looked as if Kurt had finally gotten through the boys' heads. No one did anything.

"Alright. All who are willing and able to compete against Crawford by giving their all and kicking some ass - raise your hand."

Blaine and Jeff were the first to act, followed by Nick, Trent, Beatz, Thad, David, and just about everyone else in the room. They all turned to the only hand not raised - Wes.

Wes looked at the group, then to David and Thad, before he met eyes with Kurt. Wes took one more moment before slowly raising his hand. The vote was unanimous.

"Motion passed. Next order of business, please." Kurt dropped the gavel once more before moving back to the couch and reclaiming his seat next to Blaine, who took notice of the shaking hands, and put his own over Kurt's, as if to say 'I'm right here and you're fine'.

Realizing that a potential crisis had been averted - well, crisis for some - Wes moved and picked up his gavel. He looked at Kurt for a second, and after receiving a shaky smile in return, put _Cynthia_ back down. He didn't think he'd need her anymore...at least for today.

"Alright then. Next on the agenda is our set list. We need ideas before we leave today, a finalized list by Friday. We've worked on a few songs already, so we'll take those into account, as well as new suggestions. Let's just try to keep in mind that it needs to be able to conform to the few specifications we have for song selections, **Nick and Jeff**."

The couple put on their best 'who us?' faces, while Wes could see Blaine whispering to Kurt, who seemed confused. Luckily, he wasn't the only one, so Wes didn't feel odd having to explain the rules again.

"For those of you that have forgotten or aren't aware, suggestions need to be songs that can be easily arranged and nothing vulgar or offensive is allowed. Keep in mind that we have a wide range of voices. All genres will be considered and voted to see if there is interest from the whole group, with final votes from David, Thad, and myself. Also consider that we have less than two weeks - anything that may require a lot of choreography wouldn't be advisable at this time.

"With that said, suggestions for Sectionals will be taken now."

* * *

"I have to say: that was one of the best meetings ever!" Jeff gushed, attaching himself to Kurt once they had left the practice hall. "You were amazing! And did you see the look on Wes's face - priceless!"

Kurt rolled his eyes at the blonde's antics. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself today. I, on the other hand, was very close to a nervous breakdown. Has anyone ever done that before?"

"Using the gavel themselves or speaking out against the council?" asked Nick.

"Either."

"Nope."

"Seriously? There's never been anyone that has done that?"

"Well," Blaine said, "there have been cases where Warblers have firmly objected to ideas of the council, but no one has ever done it the way you did, and at the same meeting no less. Nice job, first countertenor in forever."

"Should I be afraid of Wes right now?" asked Kurt.

Jeff responded, "Nah. More than likely Wes is already on the phone with Becky, and she's threatening him not to do anything to you because you're right. I wouldn't worry about it. Who's up for dinner? It's taco night."

"I've gotta grab my binder from my room for tutoring tonight. You guys go and I'll meet you there."

"Want company? Jeff and Nick can save us seats. And you never know - Wes could be lurking around…"

Kurt laughed, "Sure Blaine, thanks." The boys split up by the stairs, Kurt and Blaine to the dorms, Jeff and Nick to the dining hall.

* * *

The boys discussed more song ideas at dinner. Blaine of course was rooting for another Katy Perry song. Nick suggested Yellowcard's_ Ocean Avenue_, while Jeff wanted to try Coldplay's _Viva la Vida_. Kurt had given up his Lady Gaga campaign quicker than he expected himself to, but he realized that a song of hers would probably be too much for the boys to handle - at least for now. Instead, he offered _Santa Fe_ from Rent, since_ La Vie Boheme_ would be fun to do but not appropriate for a competition. He was determined to get them to do a musical or show tune of some sort before he left the school.

"What about a Michael Jackson song? _I Want You Back_ or _Bad _could sound really good."

"Maybe for Regionals...a Michael Jackson song should have some real choreography to it, not just our easy step, shuffle, turn, thing."

Eventually dinner ended, and the group split up. Kurt and Jeff made their way to the foreign language wing to meet up with Trent, while Blaine and Nick headed to the library to do more work on their English assignment. Jeff was curious to see how Kurt would handle a big group of in-desperate-need-of-help students, especially ones that were in the same grade level as them. So he asked how the last two days had gone with the younger groups.

"It was a lot of fun, actually. I was really surprised at how attentive they were. Then again, I only had three Warblers within those two levels, so it was much calmer than it could've been. Almost makes me glad that more of you take Italian and Spanish."

Jeff pretended to swoon and placed a hand over his heart, "You wound us Kurt. The Warblers are not that rambunctious."

Kurt just raised an eyebrow, "This coming from the very person I saw jump off a couch and almost bust his head on a table not 2 hours ago?"

Jeff at least had the decency to blush. "Okay, I admit I timed the landing wrong, but we know when to get serious."

"You need a gavel to shut you all up during a meeting."

"Well, it works doesn't it? We know when to shut up - that has to count for something."

* * *

Even though there had been a lot of ideas from the whole group, the council eventually decided on doing Train's _Hey Soul Sister_ - with Blaine as the lead - and Pink's _Get the Party Started_, which would feature Nick, Jeff, and Blaine. However, several suggestions, like doing Michael Jackson, were noted in the minutes as ideas for Regionals or just to play around with. Everyone came to rehearsals alert and ready to go.

Except for Kurt.

Jeff had been the first to notice, and had told Nick and Blaine about it later. It wasn't that Kurt wasn't trying, but it was just that his overall demeanor told them that something was wrong. David said that while they were practicing moves, Kurt was very stiff, which prompted Trent and Beatz to mention that Kurt was still having headaches, but was trying to hide them. Thad and Wes were trying to not get involved, saying that it was probably just nerves or that Kurt was still trying to acclimate to the Warblers' way of performing.

Kurt was mostly oblivious to the concern of the rest of the group. The headaches were normal for him now, but the fatigue was something else entirely. He didn't know why he was so tired. He was still managing to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, but there'd been a few days where he'd go to his room to take a nap after classes and before rehearsal. Some nights, he had even considered cancelling the tutoring sessions, but pushed through it and never did.

They had finally made it to the day before Sectionals and Kurt felt like crap. He had been up part of the night with stomach cramps, and had thrown up a few times by the time classes started. All he wanted to do was stay in bed, but in order to go to the competition tomorrow, he had to finish the school day first...and their last run-through.

Needless to say, Kurt was already counting down the minutes until he could go back to his room.

He also finally realized that he wouldn't be fooling anyone. Blaine met him at the base of the stairs with a look of worry, and a coffee that Kurt knew he couldn't enjoy today.

"Kurt, you look like hell. Why aren't you in bed?"

"Because I want to go to Sectionals. Can't do that if I'm in bed. And no offense, I can't do coffee this morning."

That raised a flag. Everyone by now knew that Kurt ran on caffeine, and he really must be sick in order to deny it. Blaine dropped the cup in the trash, and pulled Kurt over to a bench, before putting his hand on Kurt's forehead.

"You're really warm, Kurt, and I know it's your first competition with us, but how will any of us enjoy it if we're worrying about you?"

"It's nothing to worry about. It could just be an annoying 24-hour thing, and come morning, I'll be good as new."

"No offense, Kurt, but that's a load of crap. You haven't been feeling well for a while. Don't think we haven't noticed."

Kurt just looked at him. "We, as in you and Jeff?"

"And Nick, Wes, David, Thad, Trent, Beatz, as well as some of the younger students in your tutoring block."

Kurt groaned and dropped his head against Blaine's shoulder. "And here I thought I was doing a good job at keeping up appearances."

"Remember when we met and we spoke of your spying escapade?"

"Yeah."

"A sneaky Slytherin, you are not."

Kurt groaned again while Blaine just smirked. "Couldn't resist, Kurt. But seriously, you should be in bed."

"There's no way I'm missing Sectionals. Besides, I don't think I have to throw up anymore. See - improvement."

"Oh yeah? Stand up real fast. Then maybe I'll believe you."

Kurt bit his lip. _That's not fair - if I do that I'll probably pass out._

"Is there an option two?" Blaine just raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Blaine. If I do that, I'll pass out. If that happens, you'd have to explain yourself."

"Oh yeah? And why would I need to do that?"

"Because Wes will wanna know what you've done to his beloved countertenor." Kurt and Blaine looked up to see Nick and Jeff lounging against the wall. "And no offense, but your status as lead soloist will only get you so far, if you can't explain yourself to his satisfaction."

Nick sent Blaine a smirk, ignoring the responding glare. Jeff rolled his eyes at the two of them and sat down next to Kurt on the bench. "You do realize that Blaine has a point - you do look like shit...and I mean that in the nicest way possible."

Kurt sighed, "I feel like shit. But I don't want to miss out tomorrow - I'll be fine. Seriously, I've been feeling bad for a few weeks already...what's another day or two?"

It was Jeff's turn to raise an eyebrow, "You're a stubborn pain in the ass, Hummel."

Kurt laughed, "Dad says it's my mother's fault, although he seems to forget that he's just as bad. Trust me - if I feel any worse, I'll let you the three of you know. Please let me finish the day out. I promise to go to bed and sleep it off after our final run-through. Please?"

"Don't look, Jeff - you won't be able to deny the puppy eyes," warned Nick.

Jeff looked, and was oddly amazed at how pathetic and cute a sick Kurt could look. "Aw, Kurt, that's not fair."

"Please?"

Blaine piped up from his seat next to Kurt, "On one condition: you take some medicine and try to eat something, AND if you start feeling worse if tell us."

"That was more than one condition, Blaine."

"Not helping, Nicholas."

Kurt laughed as Blaine pouted. "I agree to your conditions. Come on - class starts in 20."

* * *

After a breakfast of ginger ale, crackers, and Tylenol, the boys went about the rest of their school day. By lunchtime, Kurt was able to eat some soup and toast, and even Blaine had to admit he was starting to look better. By the time their final run-through started, Kurt had enough energy to finish out the long two-hour session before heading to his room to crash.

Jeff took it upon himself to get more soup for Kurt to eat, before he slept the night away, and joined him in his dorm for dinner. Most of the other boys were working on group assignments or homework before going to bed themselves.

Kurt took another dose of Tylenol and ate the whole bowl of soup before getting ready for bed. Jeff made sure he was comfortable and had his alarm set before heading back to his room. When Blaine checked on him an hour later, he was happy to see Kurt looking more like himself.

* * *

Surprisingly enough, Kurt slept the whole night without interruption. Upon waking, he noticed that while he still felt a little shaky and had a headache, his fever was gone and the stomach cramping had for the most part stopped.

Kurt was ready for his wake up call, but when he got to the lobby where the Warblers were to meet before getting on the bus, he noticed that some of the underclassmen were missing. Turns out, several of them were sick with stomach bugs, and would not be able to make it. Thankfully they still had enough people left to compete. It also explained why he'd been sick too: the missing singers were his more frequent French-class victims.

He'd be lying if he said telling Blaine '_I told you so'_ didn't make him feel better.

Eventually, Wes did a quick head count and started pushing people outside to the bus. What Kurt didn't know was that Dalton and Crawford would be sharing the bus ride over to the building where the competition was taking place, since the schools were only 10 minutes apart, and the venue was a half-hour away. Apparently, nobody else knew this either, only Headmaster Dippet. He was kind enough to tell the boys that news after they got on the bus.

Awkward didn't describe it.

Kurt and Blaine thought the whole thing was hilarious. Of course, that was only because neither of them had any family or girlfriends to worry about. Jeff didn't either, but Nick's sister was practically his sister too. It wasn't until everyone got on the bus that Headmaster Dippet made another announcement about the competition, which wiped the amused look off of Kurt's face.

Due to extenuating circumstances, they were having all six schools compete as two separate brackets, today, at the same place, and that they would be there for most of the day.

Which meant that Kurt would be seeing New Directions perform, and they'd be seeing him perform. Depending on the outcome, he would have to come to terms that they would possibly be competing against each other in the next round.

Suddenly Kurt didn't feel all that great anymore.

* * *

When they pulled up in front of Crawford, Kurt was surprised to see a lot of similarities between it and Dalton, at least from the outside. The girls were waiting out front, and as the bus pulled in, the boys started shuffling around, making room for girlfriends or pockets for the girls to stay together. Jeff had offered to move so Nick could sit with his sister, but his response of 'hell no, you're staying here' was heard loud and clear.

Kurt only felt slightly intimidated because he had heard a lot of great things from the guys about the girls. However, that didn't mean he wasn't ready to meet them, some more than others.

"Considering you're the only one I don't recognize, you must be Kurt." Kurt turned around to see a very pretty brunette smiling at him. "I'm Becky, the one responsible for these lovely ladies, and Wes's girlfriend."

Kurt held out his hand, "You are correct. It's nice to put a face to the name."

"It's even nicer to put a voice with a body. Your complexion is fantastic. What do you use?" While Becky and Kurt got acquainted, Blaine laughed at the put-out look that Wes was currently wearing.

"It's not fair. She didn't even say hi to me. And all they're talking about it facial creams."

"Would you rather they be talking about you in hushed tones and giggling? You should be grateful that's all they are talking about right now."

"Shut up, Blaine."

Wes perked up ten minutes later when Becky left Kurt to properly say hello to Wes, who didn't seem to have any problem making out for the rest of the ride. Kurt was introduced to most of the girls before they got to the venue, and even managed to get some of them to warm up with him once they got inside. He had to admit - it was kind of nice to warm up with people who sang in a higher range like him for a change.

It didn't take long for Wes to realize they were missing someone, so before he could physically drag him away from the girls, Jeff calmly called Kurt back over to their side, promising him access to them later, which earned the blond a glare from an annoyed Asian. Wes was ignoring the fact that they still had plenty of time until it was their turn. Northside Christian was performing first, followed by Crawford, with Dalton going last. Just when he thought he had everyone's undivided attention, there was a loud call for "Kurt!"

New Directions had arrived and before Kurt knew it, he was pulled into a big hug from Finn, whom he hadn't seen in a week, and most of the Warblers had yet to meet. Once Finn let him go, he was attacked by all of the girls, with the boys staying in the back until they could get a chance to get closer. Puck was the last to approach him, giving him a look as he pulled him into a hug too.

"You look paler than usual, Princess...you feeling alright?"

"A little under the weather, but better than the last couple of days. Damn freshmen and their crappy immune systems. What are you all doing here? I thought you weren't performing until this afternoon."

"We didn't know when you were singing, so we decided to make a day out of this. We were supposed to be having ours tomorrow closer to Lima, but the place we were gonna use got flooded out or something, so here we are." Puck noticed Wes and pointed out the twitching eye. "Are we interrupting something? That dude looks like he's about to blow a gasket."

"Remember when I was talking about who's who in the Warblers? That's Wes."

"Oh...say no more. I'll herd us away for now, but I expect to hear more from you later."

"Whatever you say Puck. Thanks."

Puck got Will's attention and was able to round up the rest of the New Directions and move into one of the side rooms they would be using for the day. Wes took the opportunity to do the same with the Warblers, who had been mingling with both the New Directions and the Silvertones. Everyone was having a good time and didn't want to separate, but announcements were being made for the first three groups to go to their assigned rooms.

There was a lot of last minute hugs and kisses as the Warblers and Silvertones split up and the New Directions left to find some seats. Finn watched Kurt walk away with Blaine with a look of concern on his face. It was no surprise to him that Puck noticed.

"Dude, what's wrong?"

"Puck, did Kurt seem off to you? He was really excited about this a week ago, but he doesn't look all that thrilled to be here."

"He said he wasn't feeling all that great, but that he was worse the last couple of days...blamed it on freshmen."

"And of course he's here and not in bed...would've thought one of them could keep him in line for us, but knowing Kurt, he just brushed them off."

"I take it you're gonna be keeping an eye on him then?"

"Oh yeah. Even if that means I have to hide backstage and drag him back to whatever room they're in so he can lie down."

* * *

Northside Christian went first, and while it wasn't great, Kurt had to admit that they could easily be real competition in a few years. The Silvertones performed next and they were fantastic. It was during their number that Kurt started to feel anxious again. He was hoping the ten minutes between the girls finishing and the Warblers that he'd feel better, but while the anxiety was manageable, the sudden lightheadedness wasn't.

They got situated on the risers on stage and were waiting for the curtain to move. They were starting with _Get the Party Started_ before moving into _Hey Soul Sister._ Kurt was thankful that he was on the front riser because he didn't think he could handle being any higher up on the stage. He closed his eyes and took a couple of slow breaths, not realizing the concerned looks he was getting from David and Thad, who were the closest ones to him.

Kurt didn't hear the announcer but he did hear Beatz. He opened his eyes and did his best to push away the feeling of unease he had. When he looked in the audience and saw both Rachel pointing at him and motioning with her hands he needed to smile, he knew he wasn't acting well enough, and hoped that none of the guys noticed his current unenthusiastic state.

The Warblers danced and kept in harmony. Jeff and Nick got to solo a verse each and sounded awesome. Blaine did his part flawlessly. When the song ended, the boys changed positions slightly for their second song. Kurt moved from the first riser to the stage floor, and almost fell. Blaine was able to grab him and sent him that 'are you okay' look, with Kurt flashing a small smile and a look of thanks. Blaine sent a quick look to Wes, who'd seen the trip, and got a look in response that clearly said 'start the song-the sooner we're done, the better'.

Blaine quickly looked to where the New Directions were seated and locked eyes with Finn, who nudged Puck, getting the message of 'get backstage ASAP' quite clearly. Blaine started with the first line of _Hey Soul Sister_, and did his best during the song to stay close to Kurt, but make it look like it was part of the choreography. As the song came to a close, Blaine noticed that two seats were empty and as the curtain closed, was relieved to see the two football players waiting off-stage. Blaine turned to Kurt to see him swaying slightly and moved forward just in time to steady him.

"Whoa Kurt, easy...you alright?"

Kurt took a minute before responding, "Really dizzy…"

"Come on; let's get you back to the greenroom." The rest of the Warblers weren't sure what to do to help, and instead of crowding, let Blaine lead Kurt backstage. Finn walked toward them, noticing the way Kurt was walking and how unsteady he was.

"No offense, Kurt, but you really look like crap right now. What's wrong?"

"Thanks Finn. I don't know….everything's spinning…" When Kurt almost fell again, Finn and Puck each took a side of Kurt and took over steadying him, while Blaine led the way backstage. Blaine was thankful that the other Warblers were keeping their distance, although he noticed the way Nick had to keep pulling Jeff back. They made it back to their greenroom and situated Kurt on one of the couches.

Puck saw the flush on Kurt's face that wasn't on any of the other boys' faces and had a hunch. "Blazer off, Hummel. You look a lot hotter than you should." Blaine helped Kurt get the blazer off and could feel the heat coming off of him, realizing that even with the knowledge of just performing, he shouldn't look so flushed. Finn returned from the bathroom with a washcloth that he placed on Kurt's head, that if the moan from Kurt was any indication, was more than welcome.

"I take it that feels better?" asked Blaine.

"Oh definitely...thanks guys." Kurt slowly opened his eyes to see five pairs of eyes looking at him. "It's okay Nick, you can let him go now." Blaine, Finn, and Puck hadn't noticed Nick and Jeff hanging behind them, the rest of the group nowhere to be found. Jeff walked up to the couch and sat on the floor next to Kurt's head.

"You said you felt better."

"When you asked me this morning, I did feel better Jeff. Now on the other hand...not so much."

"You looked off when we met up with you before the show started, bro," said Finn.

"Only difference now is that you're pink, instead of the shade of white you were earlier. For the record, neither are your color, Princess."

"You really know how to make a guy feel better, Puckerman, thank you. Seriously, if I had any idea that I'd almost pass out on stage, I would've just sat out. I really was fine until we got on stage...must've been the lights or something."

"How are you feeling now?" asked Blaine.

"Headache...hot...tired...not really dizzy anymore, but I haven't tried to get up yet."

"Nick - grab me my bag please." Nick retrieved Jeff's bag and passed it to him, watching the blonde dig around before pulling out a water bottle, crackers, and a travel size container of Tylenol.

"I think this will help - it worked for you the last two days. Eat a couple of crackers and then take some Tylenol. Stay on the couch. You don't have to go anywhere for a little bit, so just take it easy."

Just then, the announcement came over the loudspeaker, "Attention please. The votes have been tallied. At this time, will Northside Christian, Crawford Country Day, and Dalton Academy, please take your places on the stage for the results. Thank you."

Blaine, Nick and Jeff didn't want to leave, but it wouldn't look good for the featured soloists to not be on stage. Finn and Puck saw their hesitation and promised to stay until they got back. It still took some persuasion from Kurt, and some yelling from Wes, "You'll be back in ten minutes - get your butts on stage now!" before the trio left the room. Finn managed to also convince Puck to go as well - Mr. Schue and the rest of New Directions would start freaking out once they notice Kurt missing from the stage, not to mention they didn't say where they were going.

Finn sat in the silence of the room and startled a bit when Kurt spoke up, "You're all a bunch of mother hens."

"For good reason it seems. You are awesome at taking care of other people, but you really suck at looking after yourself sometimes."

"Many years of practice...it's a hard habit to break." Pause. "How hard do you think it's gonna be for me to convince them to let us stick around?"

"You want to stay here and watch us? Dude, you need to be in bed, not laying here in a greenroom. And I may not know all of your boys yet, but Blaine and Jeff are not gonna wanna wait around."

"We were all going to stay for the whole day anyway. Besides, the girls are sharing the bus with us, and trust me; you don't want to get some of them mad. And it's not like I need to do anything else today. Just get me a seat in the audience and leave me there. I want to see what you guys have been working on, especially considering that Rachel isn't soloing."

Finn smirked at that, "It's gonna be awesome, and you do have a point. If you need it, I'll back you up so you can stay and watch." Kurt smiled in thanks, just before the door burst open and the Warblers ran in cheering. Blaine walked up to Kurt and Finn with a huge grin on his face.

"I take it we won, then?"

"Oh yeah we did! The girls are bummed out but everyone is still talking to each other, so I'm taking it as a win-win for both of our sakes. We're going to Regionals!"

Once the shouting died down, some of the boys came up to Kurt and asked how he was feeling. Kurt said he was better and apologized for being a hassle. They told him it wasn't his fault he was sick and were impressed he held himself so well while on stage. Wes mentioned getting the girls together so they could head back, but Kurt spoke up and said that he didn't want to ruin the rest of the day, and that he wasn't leaving until he knew who won the next bracket, which was code for 'I'm watching New Directions perform with or without you'.

Finn backed up Kurt's point of just sitting and watching, which got the council to reconsider. Wes went to inform Becky that they needed to find seats, and sent David and Thad out to find enough for them, when Becky walked right into Wes as he went to leave the room.

"Becky, I was just coming to get you and let you know we are going to stay for the next set."

"I just got a call from Crawford. They're sending a bus to pick us up in a little bit, so you don't need to wait for us. We forgot that half of the girls have cheerleading practice later; they have a sectionals competition this week as well, so we won't be able to stay. You'll have to let us know how it goes." She turned to Finn and wished him good luck to his group before leaving to collect the girls.

The Warblers looked a little disappointed, but were still working off their victory high when Puck came back into the room. He congratulated them on their win as he walked back over to Finn.

"Dude, we have to go meet up with everyone else. We're going up last too, but Schue wants to make sure everyone's in the right state of mind to go on."

Kurt spoke before Finn did, "I take it there's dissention in the ranks."

"Of course there is...wouldn't be a normal day without it. You sticking around to watch?"

"Yeah we are. Go kick some ass and see you afterwards." Puck gave Kurt a quick salute and began to drag Finn from the room, leaving him just enough time to say 'see ya'.

Most of the Warblers started leaving as well to grab seats, only Blaine, Nick, and Jeff remaining to take care of Kurt. It took a few attempts but eventually he was able to sit up, and then stand up, so they could make their way to their seats. Kurt was leaning on Blaine, with Nick and Jeff walking behind them. Once they got to their seats, Kurt sat and put his head on Blaine's shoulder with his eyes closed. Blaine actually blushed a little bit, causing Nick to laugh at him and Jeff to snap a pic with his phone.

"Just because my eyes are closed, doesn't mean I'm asleep, Jeffrey." Nick snickered at the look on his boyfriend's face. "Stop making fun of Blaine, Nicholas, or I'll kick your ass later. Someone make sure I'm up when New Directions is, please."

Blaine turned enough to whisper in Kurt's ear. "Nicely done, Kurt. You've managed to make them speechless. Bravo." He felt, more than saw, the smirk on Kurt's face.

* * *

Another hour later and New Directions became the winner for their bracket, which came as no surprise to either of the groups. Kurt's unexpected catnap did wonders, and while he still looked under the weather, he didn't look ready to pass out again. Everyone met up backstage, where both introductions and congratulations were being made. This made Kurt happy because the one thing that had been bothering him since his transfer was the constant worry that New Directions and the Warblers wouldn't get along. Unsurprisingly the only problem was Rachel and Wes, but that wouldn't be a problem until Regionals.

Will's appearance put a damper on things; he was there to round up the group to head back to Lima. Thad noticed the time and said that they too had to get a move on. There was a quick scramble to exchange cell numbers as they all walked out to the buses, seemingly forgetting that Kurt had everyone's numbers until they got to the parking lot. David was the first to notice that their bus was missing.

"I swear David, if you say 'dude where's my car' I'm going to cause bodily harm."

"Since when have you become a psychic, Wesley?"

"Since you say that every time we can't find a vehicle, no matter what kind of car it is or where we are."

David pouted and before he could respond, a smaller bus pulled up with a familiar driver.

"Hey Mr. Franks, what happened to the bus we had earlier? Not that we don't like this old thing."

"One of the sports teams needed it, so they sent me back with this hunk of junk. Maybe we'll get lucky and this will be its last trip. We're getting a new one this week to replace it anyway. Ready to go?"

The Warblers waved goodbye to the New Directions and Kurt promised he'd be home Wednesday night - they had a five day weekend for Thanksgiving. Mr. Franks asked for a play-by-play of the day, which Nick and Jeff were only too happy to give, while the rest of the boys lounged on the bus for the easy ride back to Dalton.

The final voyage of the beloved bus wasn't about to be easy. It had been making noises since they left, but as soon as they turned onto the hidden driveway, the bus came to an abrupt stop, and didn't want to go any further. Kurt came to the rescue, and despite being sick, got the bus running long enough to get them back to school, all the while never letting it past the Warblers that there would come a day where they'd get a life lesson on car maintenance.

Of course, it also made for amazing blackmail.


	5. Dr Matt

**Dr. Matt**

* * *

Dr. Matt Foster was one of those people that got along with everybody. He was tall, handsome, and friendly. He was an OB/GYN, but did frequent rotations within the NICU and Pediatrics wards, often with the children of the patients that he started with by saying 'you're pregnant'. He worked at Mount Carmel St. Anne's in Westerville, but was in the process of transferring fully to Lima Memorial. He had gone to Lima to help in their Family Birth Center several times and loved it there, which was great because he'd had enough at St. Anne's...or at least with some of the staff there.

It was during his last week there when he met Kurt Hummel.

"Dr. Foster, there's a patient of Dr. Howard's in Room 214 that's here for results. They've been waiting for 30 minutes already."

Matt looked up at the bane of his existence - Dr. Adam Parks, the hospital administrator. He was the main reason why he was transferring. He then looked over at the exam room to see a young boy on the bed with three boys and a man sitting nearby.

"And where is Carla? She doesn't leave patients waiting for that long."

"She's in surgery, she's unavailable. So I'm telling you to take care of the patient in there." He finished with handing Matt the patient's file and started to walk away.

Matt opened the file and quickly called to Parks to stop, almost missing seeing the exam room door open.

"Now wait just a second; did you even look at this file? I can't take care of this patient."

"Look, if you have a problem with the fact it's a pregnant queer, deal with it. You're the doctor on-call, and I have things to do."

Matt could see the man in the exam room narrow his eyes toward the two doctors, and looked between angry and pissed.

"That's not the problem, Adam. There's a note in this file, stating 'female personnel only'. Last I checked, that meant 'please no male doctors or nurses due to personal trauma'. We're supposed to honor the wishes of the patient. I don't want to be the reason a patient is uncomfortable, and there's no reason we can't respect that."

"Look, I don't care. Either you take this file and see the patient, or you get a write-up." With that, the admin walked off, leaving Matt to sigh and rub his forehead.

"How the hell did an ass like that become the administrator?" he wondered aloud.

"That's what I'd like to know." Matt looked up to see the man from the exam room.

"I'm sorry for that, Sir. I wasn't trying to be disrespectful to your son; I don't want to make him uncomfortable. There's a reason notes like that are put into files. I'm Dr. Foster, Matt, please."

"Burt Hummel. I appreciate the honesty. We haven't had much luck at this hospital, but it's closer to Kurt's school and Dr. Howard has been the only good thing about this place, and some of the nurses, too. No offense, but if you didn't start with saying that, I would've probably punched you."

"None taken - I understand - and the feeling is mutual. I'd love to punch his lights out myself. This is my last week here, moving to a different hospital. If you'd like I can reschedule your appointment for Carla. I apologize for the delay on her behalf. She ended up with back-to-back cesarean sections. Dr. Ass should've sent in a nurse to tell you."

Burt looked at Matt for a second before responding, "Would you like to come in the room with me? You seem to care and your smile might persuade Kurt to let you do the exam. He's been worried for the last couple of weeks and I don't think he'd be able to wait another day. And me and the boys are worried for him, too."

Matt looked unsure at Burt, "Are you sure? I don't want those boys coming after me. The two tall ones don't worry me as much as the short, curly-haired one...I'm guessing he's the boyfriend and the others are his brothers?"

Burt laughed, "Not a boyfriend yet, but I don't doubt it happening. The one with the mohawk is a friend, and the other is my step-son. They're all very protective of Kurt, now more than ever." Burt looked at Matt. "I know you haven't looked at his file past the first page. Kurt was raped at his old school, and we found out that day that it was possible for him to get pregnant. The guys in there and his glee clubs are the only guys that can get near him without freaking out too badly. They found him and took care of the bastard that did that to him.

"I would be grateful if you'd at least be able to try and talk to him into doing an exam. If that doesn't work we'll wait for Carla another time. Kurt and Blaine have to be back at Dalton soon, and Finn and Puck have a football game tonite."

Matt still looked hesitant, but after looking at Burt, and then at Kurt, he said, "I'll give it a shot."

Burt smiled in thanks, and led the way back into the exam room. As soon as Matt walked in, he saw the boy on the bed tense up a bit, but not nearly as bad as he'd figured. He was getting slightly narrowed looks from three of the boys, but since they hadn't started yelling yet, he took that as a sign to introduce himself.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Matt Foster- I'm filling in for Carla at the moment. Is it alright if I come in?"

Matt waited patiently in the doorway, he saw the two taller boys look at each other before looking at Kurt, and the curly-haired one just held to Kurt's hand and smiled at him.

"...um, yeah, you can come in. I'm Kurt Hummel. This is Blaine Anderson, Finn Hudson, and Noah Puckerman," pointing to each in turn, "and you've already talked to my dad...um...where is Carla, if you don't mind me asking?"

Matt smiled at them all before redirecting his attention to Kurt, "She had two patients that needed C-sections. I'm sorry you've been waiting in here for so long. Is it okay if I close the door and come closer to the bed?"

Kurt stared for a second, and then nodded. Matt shut the door and grabbed the stool from the corner of the room, bringing it closer to the bed. He put Kurt's file on the side table and for a moment wasn't sure how to proceed. He didn't think he'd get this far into the room. Luckily for him, Kurt started the conversation first.

"Thank you - for what you said out there. I really appreciate you fighting for me, and you don't even know me, so thanks for that."

Matt smiled again, and saw Kurt starting to relax more. "Like I told your dad outside, those kinds of requests mean something; they're important, otherwise why bother. Yours is a common request for someone in your situation. The most important thing for me is to make sure you're comfortable, because if you're not, I'm not doing my job...that and I like it when my patients can tell me anything, whether it's relevant to their care or just because they wanna talk about something.

"By the way, love your outfit - McQueen right?"

At that comment, Matt wheeled over to the counter and missed the shocked looks and dropped jaws from everyone in the room. When he turned around, he did the first thing that came to him - he laughed.

"Betcha didn't expect that one, huh?"

"Can I hug you, right now? If not I'm gonna cry," said Kurt.

If was Matt's turn to be in shock, "um sure but wh-"

Once he was close to the bed, Kurt leaned over and gave him a quick hug. "How did you know? Those two knuckle heads." pointing to Finn and Puck, "still can't tell the difference between any of my clothes, or even correctly guess one of their names."

"My sister and my boyfriend make costumes and sets for shows and choir groups for half the state. Neal loves trying to take big name designers' designs and tries to replicate it with his own flair to it. Megan is more into painting sets, but _Vogue_ is her favorite magazine. If I haven't picked up a thing or two by now, they would've probably kicked me out of the house."

"Dude, did you say 'boyfriend'? Then why did that idiot out there make those comments earlier?" asked Finn.

"Because he's an asshole who doesn't personally know anybody on staff. We all ignore him anyway, so it doesn't matter." Matt had to brace himself when he got another hug from Kurt - and Blaine.

"I love you, seriously. What am I gonna tell Carla? I told her she's my favorite doctor, and you're quickly taking over the number one spot."

Matt winked at Kurt, "Best not to tell her, then. Wait til I leave the area first." He then got serious for a moment, "so I guess it's okay if I take a look at you, see how you're doing today?"

He got nods of approval from everyone in the room, then smiled again. "Awesome. First of all, is everyone okay to stay here? Do you need anyone to leave?" Kurt shook his head, no.

"Okay. Now what are you doing here in Westerville? Your file has you previously at Lima Memorial? That's not very close to here."

"We live in Lima. I used to go to McKinley High School; now I go to Dalton. I've always had problems with bullies but it reached new levels this year. I'd been having a hard time with one of the bullies in particular. I finally confronted him about it but it didn't turn out any way that I'd hoped it would."

Kurt started to shake a little, grabbed onto Blaine's hand, and took a few breaths before continuing.

"I was standing in the hallway, looking at my phone. I didn't even see him. He pushed me into a locker and I lost it. I followed him into the boys' locker room. We yelled at each other, I thought he was gonna punch me. He kissed me instead. I tried to fight him off but he's taller and bigger than me. He pushed me down. I hit my head on one of the benches. I couldn't focus on anything. The next thing I know, he's on top of me and hurting me. I tried screaming but he smacked me and everything started spinning. I blacked out for a while. I barely remember the glee club football players walking in. I didn't fully know what happened to me until I woke up in the hospital."

Matt was impressed with how well Kurt was doing. Being able to talk about it without completely breaking down was progress. His file said he had made little to no progress with the counselor. To him, it looked - and sounded like - he had a good support system, which was better than just relying on a stranger with a degree.

"You were in the hospital for two days? That's not very long. I've seen other people that are here for much longer after a trauma like that."

Surprisingly, Burt spoke up after that. "I had a heart attack not too long before that, ended up in a coma for almost a week. After that Kurt didn't wanna stay there if he could just recuperate from home. So we did that instead. As soon as he was able to go back to school, he transferred to Dalton; he attends with Blaine and comes home on the weekends."

Matt sighed, "I wouldn't wanna stay in the hospital myself." He gave Kurt a second to gather himself and asked the next question.

"When were you told that you could conceive? That's been recently added to your file. Most parents find out after the baby is born, or at least by the time they're in kindergarten, so they are aware of potential health problems in the future."

"Found out after I woke up. They examined me and did a rape kit while I was knocked out. They had done blood work and said that my results were skewed. Carla was the doctor on-call that day at Lima Memorial. She was nice and gentle and let me know what was going on. She did some tests and told me that I had some female reproductive organs. Between that and being told I was raped, I thought she was screwing with me."

"I understand, and I'm not just saying that. Neal was in an accident when we were kids and found out then. That was before anyone really knew how to explain it. When we decided to try for a baby, we were told that our chances for conceiving were low, and to not expect a full-term baby, but Casey was born at 35 weeks, and we're expecting a boy soon, so to that I say, 'how about them apples?'"

"I don't know about Kurt, but you're definitely number one on my list of favorite doctors," said Blaine.

"Why thank you, Blaine. Now Kurt, what brings you in today?"

"I haven't been feeling well lately, and the more we talk about it, the more we're thinking that I'm pregnant."

"What's wrong exactly - cramping, nausea, headaches, fatigue? What were you doing when you felt 'off'?"

"I've thrown up a couple times, but usually I'm just really queasy. We had Sectionals two weeks ago and I almost passed out after we performed. I've been having on-and-off cramps since it happened. I DID pass out during Warblers practice today; it's our last one before winter break. I got really dizzy and I just dropped. Nick and Jeff - friends of mine and Blaine - caught me before I hit the floor."

Blaine took over after that, "Wes and David had to calm me down because I was freaking out. Kurt had looked paler than usual but he said he just had a headache. I tried to get him to sit down halfway through but he was adamant that he was fine. After I got my head back on, I called Mr. Hummel, who was on his way here with Finn and Puck anyway to pick up Kurt. They pulled up to the front steps at the same time we came outside with Kurt. We brought him straight here. They took some blood; waved one of those smelling salts to wake him up. He did, then threw up. And they told us to hang tight for the results."

Matt waited to see if that was it. "Well, sounds like quite a day. Hang on for a second, and let's see where your results are okay?" He wheeled over to the phone on the wall and pushed a button.

"Hey Tori, it's Matt. I'm waiting on results for a Kurt Hummel." Pause. "Great. Thanks Tori." He hung up the phone and turned back to the group. "Tori will be up in a second. She's got your results."

"Well since we have some time, and those two are too nice to ask - you got any pics of your kid...or your sister?"

"Puck!" Smack.

"OW! What the hell was that for, Princess?"

"That's for being a tactless idiot. You don't go around asking new people to see pictures of their family."

"Well why not? I know you wanna see a pic too...don't lie."

"…"

"Ha, thought so."

Matt was full out laughing watching Kurt and Puck argue. Finn and Burt stretched out in their chairs and just watched, while Blaine was checking his phone and grinning. Matt proceeded to pull out his phone and pull up the latest pic of his family.

"Here you go," handing the phone to Kurt, which effectively shut him up, and caused him to tear up a little, "That's from our trip to the park last week."

"Oh she is adorable. How old is she?"

"Casey turned four a few months ago. That's Megan in the background and obviously that's Neal on the blanket with me. He's seven months pregnant now."

Kurt eventually gave the phone to Blaine, who passed it to Burt, Finn, and Puck.

"I gotta say, the kid is cute, but your sister is hot."

"I know, and believe me, she's aware of it too."

A knock on the door interrupted their show-and-tell time. It was Tori at the door with the results.

"Hey Matt, here you go. Sorry for the delay, we got backed up in the lab."

"Thanks Tori." She shut the door and was gone before he even opened the folder.

Matt started reading the results and began to wonder how the next few minutes were going to play out.

"Kurt, did you eat anything today?" Matt figured he'd start with the easier to handle things first.

Kurt had the decency to blush a little, "Not really. I was sick this morning, but managed some toast. I still felt nauseous at lunch, but ate half an apple. We were going home for dinner, but obviously didn't make it."

"Okay, well that explains a few things, then. Your blood sugar is low, which is probably why you fainted, and your iron level sucks too. Are you anemic?"

"Never got a straight answer about that one," Burt interjected, "but his mother was. We always acted like he was as well, though."

Matt nodded, "Okay, those are an easy fix. Iron supplements and a steady diet will get those numbers back in shape." He flipped to the next page and zipped to the bottom of the page. "A lot of your numbers will improve once you're eating normal again."

Matt took a deep breath before continuing.

"And you will be eating a good diet from now on, especially as according to this - you're pregnant."

The room went silent for a full minute, before a quiet sob broke from Kurt. Blaine couldn't help himself by that point. He sat on the bed and pulled Kurt toward him in a tight hug and just let him cry it out. Burt looked at them with sad eyes. Finn and Puck on the other hand, were doing a good job of being both shocked and pissed off.

Matt wanted to give them all a moment to process the news, but he wasn't done with them yet. He waited til Kurt pulled away from Blaine and wiped his eyes. After a few deep breaths, he nodded at Matt to continue.

"Kurt, I know this is a lot to take in right now, but we still need to talk over a few things, okay?" He waited for another nod. "Okay, now I know this is tough, but I am obligated to talk about your options. If you feel that you can't go through with this, it's still early enough to terminate." That brought on a fresh batch of tears.

"You are in good shape right now, but we'll get you into better shape, should you decide not to terminate. Going that route, if you make it to term, you can give up your baby for adoption, or keep it. We do have to keep in mind that miscarriage is still possible as well."

"Do I have to decide now?" Kurt quietly asked.

Matt shook his head. "There's still time to decide, however your ending window is closing, so the sooner, the better. There is one thing I want to do, and it's in no way to influence you on what you should choose to do. I would like to do an ultrasound and see how the baby is developing, and check to see if it's in a viable position for you."

Finn bit his lip, before asking, "I'm sorry - what do you mean 'viable position'?"

Matt could tell that Finn was worried and a little confused, "If the baby isn't where it should be, it could hurt Kurt. Do you know what an ectopic pregnancy is?" Finn shook his head. "That's when a baby starts to grow outside of the uterus. If this happens, Kurt could end up in a lot of pain or possibly need surgery. This type of pregnancy is usually terminated due to the risk factor that's involved. Before we go any further, I want to check and see. Is that alright, Kurt?"

Kurt still had a death grip on Blaine's hand, but nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, I'm gonna grab the ultrasound machine; I'll be right back."

Blaine got off the bed and settled into the chair next to the bed, but didn't let go of Kurt's hand. Puck and Burt hadn't said anything in a while, both lost in thought.

Matt came back into the room with the machine and put it next to the bed. "Alright, Kurt, I need you to lie back. I'm gonna pull your shirt up a little and your pants down a little, so I can get a full picture."

He waited for another nod before he got the gel and put it on his stomach, hissing at the surprise coldness. Matt turned the machine on and the silence was filled with a strange whooshing noise.

"Matt - what's that noise? Is that normal?"

"That is the baby's heartbeat." Matt moved the wand around some more, "and position-wise, it's where it should be. Size-wise on the other hand, a little small for 11 weeks, but looks to be doing well."

Kurt didn't know what to feel. This was Dave Karofsky's baby, a baby created out of hate. But...it wasn't just Karofsky's.

It was _his_. He knew before Matt said anything else that he wouldn't be able to get rid of it, and at this stage of the game, he didn't know whether after everything was said and done, if he'd be able to give it up. But he was a junior in high school. How would he be able to take care of a child and go to school for a year? He had to stop before he got ahead of himself.

_How about we make it through the first trimester, then worry about everything else later...miscarriage is still very likely at this stage, _thought Kurt, _but it has a heartbeat already and it's still _mine.

The next thing he was aware of, was Matt turning the machine off and handing him a towel to clean up with. Matt looked on with concerned, understanding eyes.

"The baby is looking good so far. You don't medically need to terminate, however if you choose to…" he left the sentence hanging. "This is a tough decision, take some time before making a choice." A buzzing in his pocket stopped him from saying much else, except "oh crap. Excuse me for a second." Matt got up and walked out of the room.

"That's a little rude," commented Puck, who was watching Matt walk towards the nurse's station. "What happened to having a pager - don't docs still use those - oh this is gonna be fun to watch." Puck got up to crack open the door.

"Dude, what are you looking at?" Finn was glancing between the silent Kurt and the suddenly excited Puck.

"Our new favorite person is getting yelled at by the hot sister - I wanna know why."

Burt sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to deter Noah Puckerman from an attractive female. It wasn't worth it, and he was still waiting on Kurt to say something.

Puck and Finn heard 'Neal' and turned to watch the drama in the hallway.

**- outside Kurt's room -**

"All I'm saying is that a text message would've been helpful. Neal was worried about getting here late, and then you don't even meet us like you always do. So what the hell?"

"Sis, have you checked your phone lately? I DID text you - an hour ago - to take your time getting here. I was filling in for Carla, and I figured Neal would be asleep, like usual, and I didn't want to wake him up."

Megan took out her phone and said, "Message my ass. There's no mess - I have 2 missed texts…sonofabi-" She at least had the decency to blush. "My bad, bro, I must've turned off the notifications or something."

Matt sighed in relief, _Okay one crisis averted. Now where's - _His thoughts were interrupted when he was hit in the legs with a ball of energy.

"Hi Daddy! Where were you? Me and Mama and Auntie Meg were looking everywheres for you!"

"Sorry baby girl, Auntie Meg was being silly, while Daddy was working. Where's Mama?"

"Mama said he had to go potty again."

"Casey you don't have to announce that to everyone, everywhere we go." _Ah there he is_, though Matt.

"Hey sweetheart-" Matt didn't get any further than that, as Neal decided assaulting him with his mouth was a better greeting. "Well, hello to you too."

"I appreciate you looking out for me, but next time, just text me. Trying to keep your sister in line is exhausting."

"Yes dear. I'm sorry, but I need to finish with a patient first, then we can do your scan. I don't want to leave him hanging for too long, he's a case like yours…is that okay?"

Neal's eyes softened at that, "Of course it's okay. If he wants it, give him my card too; I'd be more than happy to speak to him. We'll wait over here for you. Come here Casey, let's go color."

"I love you. I'll be with you in a bit." Matt turned back to Kurt's room to see Puck leaning against the door frame, wearing a smirk.

"Your sister is better looking in person, but I wouldn't wanna be on her bad side."

Matt laughed at Puck's comment, and walked passed him into the room.

-meanwhile, in the room during this conversation-

"I can't get rid of it, Dad. It's just a baby. I know it's_ his_ but it's _mine_ too_._ "

Burt finally made a move toward Kurt. "Kiddo, you do whatever you feel is right. Just know you've got plenty of people behind you. You've got us and Carole, everyone from the Warblers, and the New Directions. Don't let any of us influence your decision. This is _your_ baby. We're on your side - never forget that." Burt pulled his son into a hug.

"Your dad's right, Kurt," said Blaine, "if you keep the baby, be prepared for a lot of protectiveness and manly behavior from the guys. I don't know if you realize how much they care about you. They've been really worried about you since Sectionals, but they didn't want to freak you out. Whether you're aware of this or not, you're the current favorite." He finished with a smirk.

Blaine couldn't tell who was more shocked - Kurt or Burt.

_I'm so glad he transferred to Dalton, he's really got a great group of friends there, _thought Burt.

Kurt just stared at Blaine before starting to cry again. Blaine wasn't sure if those were happy tears or not.

"Oh Kurt, don't be upset! I didn't mean to make you cry!" exclaimed Blaine.

"It's okay, Blaine, I'm not upset - just emotional." Kurt was able to smile at Blaine and gave him another hug, barely hearing Matt say to Neal 'he's a case like yours'.

_What does he mean by that? Has Neal been in my place before?_ Kurt didn't get a chance to mull over that when he saw Matt make his way back to the room.

**- back to Matt's re-entry -**

"I apologize for that. Neal was coming in for a scan, but Meg wasn't paying attention to her texts...can't figure that one out. She's always on the damn thing." He took a seat again, and before he could say anything else,

"What did you mean by 'he's a case like yours'?" Kurt asked quietly.

Matt sighed. "Neal was sexually assaulted at a party, right before we started dating. Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage - we didn't know he was even pregnant. He talks to patients of mine and Carla's that need someone to talk to; he's a certified counselor. If you'd like, I'll give you his card. Even if you never take up his offer to chat, it's nice to know you have the option."

"Yeah, I'd like that, just in case." Kurt was given two cards: one with Neal's number, and one with Matt's. He looked at him curiously.

"If you need to talk to someone, you can get ahold of myself, or Neal. If you're in Lima and you need any kind of medical attention, that's your ticket to finding me. There's an awesome Family Birth Clinic there, which is where I'll be working from for now on. We live right outside of Lima, and it'll be easier for me to take care of my family...and my car will be thanking me later, I'm sure. I'm afraid to drive that thing anymore - the noises it's making aren't normal."

Kurt laughed, surprising Matt. "Dad, give him one of your cards, too. I'm sure we could squeeze him in, don't you agree?"

Matt was confused until Burt handed him a card that read _Hummel Tires and Lube._ Then he laughed too.

"I didn't even put that together. I pass your shop on my way here all the time. Thank you - I'll be stopping by soon, don't you worry." He turned back to Kurt, "Well, I think you're good to go for now, Kurt. Do you have any questions for me?"

Kurt thought for a second, shook his head, then nodded. "Just one - could I get a script for those supplements you were talking about earlier? I'd like to not pass out again, if I can help it," he finished with an anxious look.

Matt was impressed. Kurt Hummel didn't seem like one to give up, and he planned on helping him however he could. He wrote up the prescriptions and handed them to Kurt, wishing him the best.

"Don't forget to call if you have any questions, comments or concerns. I hope to see you again."

Matt watched the group leave the room and head toward the elevator. He went the other way to grab his family and bring them into the room. The ultrasound machine was already in here - might as well use it, right?


	6. Winter Break Revelations

_**Winter Break Revelations**_

* * *

Burt led the way back to the car, still trying to process the idea that he was going to be a grandfather in a matter of months. He turned around to check on the boys, noticing the way that Kurt was clenching the prescription scripts in his hand. Blaine had an arm wrapped around Kurt's shoulder, as if he was keeping him steady as he walked, which was probably a good idea considering Kurt looked like he was miles away. Even more concerning was that Puck and Finn hadn't said much since they left the room; to hear them quiet like this was rare.

It wasn't until they were almost to the car that Burt noticed the time. He didn't know if Kurt and Blaine had finished packing, but there wasn't enough time to get them back to Dalton, wait for them, and still get Finn and Puck back in time for the game. This wasn't exactly how he envisioned winter break starting.

He was at a loss at what to do. Since Finn and Puck had wanted to come for the ride, they had driven up with Kurt's car. It was the only vehicle in the family that had room for people and a good sized trunk. Kurt had left it with Finn for the last week, since Finn's truck had busted and they needed to wait for parts. Burt had initially resented the monster of a car, but it was thanks to Kurt's smarts that he had agreed to it in the first place. They got it used for half the price and fixed it up themselves until it looked brand new. That was why Kurt loved it.

Burt didn't have to wonder for too long on how they were going to get home in time. As they approached the car, he noticed two familiar boys sitting on the hood of the car parked next to them. It took him a second to realize that it was Jeff and Nick. It took another minute before the other boys noticed the duo. Blaine was the first to speak up.

"Nick? Jeff? What are you two doing here?"

"Everyone was worried about Kurt and neither of you were answering your texts. We knew you needed to get back to Lima for the football game and you still had to come back to Dalton, so we figured there was a fifty-fifty chance you were still here -" Nick covered Jeff's mouth with his hand, before taking over.

"What Jeff the rambler is trying to say is that we grabbed Kurt's stuff and drove over here to a) save you at least a half an hour of travel time and b) see if Kurt was still alive." Nick paused and looked at everyone's faces. "And from the looks on your faces, something has happened, but whether it's good news or not, I can't tell."

Kurt looked like he was about to cry again. Jeff jumped off the car and grabbed Kurt in a tight hug. Nick looked at Blaine, who just shook his head, before turning to Burt. "We were concerned since we hadn't heard about Kurt, and thought it'd be too much if any more of us came. Blaine mentioned he was spending break with you so we brought his stuff too...is Kurt alright?"

Burt didn't know how and when Kurt wanted to tell anyone about the baby. Luckily, he didn't have to come up with anything because Kurt spoke up first.

"I can promise you that I'm not dying, but I need some time first. Can you two come over tomorrow? I'll explain everything then."

Jeff didn't give Nick a second to even think about it and spoke up for the two of them. "Definitely. Just let us know what time and we'll be over there in a heartbeat. We'll keep the guys back too. And let us know if we forgot anything. We grabbed each of your school bags, your packed bags, and Blaine's guitar."

Blaine thanked them both and with Puck's help, transferred everything from Nick's car to Kurt's. After promising to text the next day, Nick and Jeff went back to Dalton, while everyone else headed towards Lima. Thanks to them, they'd get back with enough time to drop off Kurt and Blaine at the house before heading to the game.

Maybe the winter break was salvageable after all.

* * *

Luckily Finn had the foresight to text Sam about the remote possibility that they were going to be cutting it close to showing up for the game, saying that they were delayed getting to Dalton and were currently heading back from Westerville. Initially, Kurt and Blaine were going to come to the game, but after everything that had happened today, it seemed unlikely. Carole was supposed to be going to the game as well, but a text from her said she was staying at work a little later and would meet them at home. None of them had informed her about the news yet - Burt said it would be better to talk to her in person.

Kurt had fallen asleep on the way back, leaving the rest of the group time to talk. Finn stated that they wouldn't say anything while they were at the game, though he wasn't sure how Coach Beiste would react to their lateness. Sam had texted back with a 'hope u have a good excuse', but Burt assured him he'd talk to her if there was a problem. Puck asked if Burt was still going to come. Realizing that he should stay home to talk to Carole, Burt declined and wished them luck. As soon as Burt pulled into the driveway, Puck and Finn jumped out and ran to Puck's truck; they had 20 minutes till kick-off. This left Blaine and Burt to grab Kurt and the boys' bags and go into the house.

Kurt had woken up to the car doors slamming and was a little disoriented until he realized he was home. He also noticed their group was missing a few and looked at Burt confused.

"Dad - where'd Finn and Puck go in such a hurry?"

"School. Tonight's a big game, remember? They win tonight, they play in the semi-final game next week."

Kurt's eyes widened in shock, "What? I completely forgot about it...what time is it? And why are you still here? You've been talking about going for the last week."

"Relax - they're gonna be cutting it close, but they'll be on the field on time. Finn and Puck more or less told me to stay put. We can get the whole play-by-play from them later when Carole gets home. In the meantime, let's get you in the house."

Burt waited for Kurt to get out of the car, just in case of another dizzy spell. It was good thinking on his part since Kurt did get a little woozy but held his own. Blaine had already taken their bags into the house and was waiting for them in the living room, not sure about what to do next. Burt noticed that he had the prescriptions in his hand, himself forgetting that they needed to be dropped off to be filled.

"Mr. Hum-Burt, do you want me to get these taken care of? The pharmacy closes soon, doesn't it? I can get us some food too - we were gonna eat at the game."

"Blaine, I can do that, if you don't mind keeping Kurt company. They know me pretty well over there and I'll grab us some pizza on the way back."

"Sure, that's fine. Is that okay with you Kurt?" Blaine asked, not wanting to make the other boy feel left out. Kurt nodded in agreement from his spot on the couch. Blaine and Burt exchanged a look before the latter made his way back outside, promising to return soon. Blaine walked over to Kurt and sat next to him, offering himself as a pillow. Kurt moved closer and snuggled into Blaine's side, resting his head on Blaine's chest.

"Talk to me Kurt. How are you handling this?"

"I'm not really sure to be honest. It still feels unreal, but I shouldn't be surprised. I knew this was a possibility and the signs were there. Was I that oblivious?"

"I think we were all still in denial and hoping that you wouldn't have to worry about this happening until you were ready for it in the future. And don't sell yourself short - your so-called 'obvious signs' didn't make us think of pregnancy first because you had other obvious explanations for them at the time. We attributed a lot of it to stress and transferring and freshmen -" Blaine paused while Kurt let out a little laugh, "-so even though it all makes more sense now, it's true what they say: our bodies are usually aware of things before we are.

"And I know you've already decided that you're keeping the baby, but don't forget you still have a whole semester left that you'll be pregnant for and one more year of high school after that. It's not going to be easy, but as long as you remember that we're here for you, everything will work out."

Kurt sighed, "Thanks, but that brings up more problems. How am I going to tell the Warblers about this? I know our core group knows some of why I transferred, but you and Jeff are the only ones that know about **everything** that happened. Will Dalton let me stay? And once New Directions hears about the baby, I don't know what they'll do. And what about Karofsky - does he have to know?"

"Don't even think about that bastard right now. And don't worry about school. If you haven't noticed, the teachers adore you, and Professor Dippet is not going to kick you out. The Warblers love you and won't judge you - none of what happened to you was your fault. Yes, we may have to keep an eye on Finn, Puck, and the others, but one word of warning and a bitch glare from you, and I'm sure they'll get the message."

Kurt let out a laugh, "You are so great at cheering me up, you know that right?"

"Of course I do - it's part of my charm." Kurt rolled his eyes. "Besides, you're pretty good at cheering _me_ up. So...you okay?"

"For the moment. I think the fact that I'm pregnant is starting to sink in...slowly. I'm not looking forward to getting fat...or having cravings...or going into labor..."

"You never know - you might not gain that much at all and you're worrying over nothing. However, Dr. Foster did say that you have to start gaining some weight, not a lot, but some. It'll be better for you and the baby if you do. We'll have to figure out a few things once the semester starts again, but in the meantime, how about we just focus on getting you in better shape. Then we can worry about telling everyone else. No unnecessary stress, you got that? "

"Yes, Blaine. I'm just not sure how Carole is gonna take the news."

"And what news is that?" Both boys jumped up to see Carole standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Carole! Where did you come from? I thought you were working late tonight." Carole walked into the living room and sat down on the chair next to the couch. "I used the back door. One of the girls came in early to relieve me so I figured I'd take advantage of it and come home...your father called me and said you'd had a rough day."

"Did he say anything else?"

"He's stopping at the game on his way back with dinner. He wanted to make sure the boys didn't get in trouble for being late. He said we'd need to talk when he gets home. Are you alright?" Carole noticed how tired Kurt looked, and all Burt would tell her was that it wasn't something to be discussed over the phone. She didn't mention to either of them that Carla had called her already, apologizing for not being available when Kurt was at St. Anne's earlier.

"Look, Kurt - Carla called me earlier. She asked me to apologize for missing you today." She gave the boys a second to process what she said. "Now, I don't know why you were at St. Anne's today, but I'm guessing this is about that news…if you want to wait for Burt, I'll understand."

Kurt looked at Blaine, who gave him a gentle nudge and a look towards Carole. Kurt sighed, then sat up properly on the couch. "No we can talk now, if that's okay."

"Whatever you want, sweetie."

Kurt took a deep breath and started talking. "We basically had a free day today, so everyone could pack up for break, since no one will be at the school after tomorrow. Wes had already arranged for us to meet up for a quick meeting that turned into one of our more silly rehearsals. We were all messing around and I started to get dizzy. I thought it was just a head rush from jumping around. Next thing I know I'm waking up in the hospital."

Blaine interjected. "Nick and Jeff saw him falling and caught him before he hit his head. We couldn't get him to wake up. I called Burt and found out he was almost there, so Beatz and David helped carry Kurt out front. We went to the hospital, they got Kurt to wake up, then he got sick, then they drew blood. We were brought into an exam room and told to hang tight for Dr. Howard. Eventually Burt went looking for a nurse because we had been there awhile. He came back in with the most awesome doctor ever."

Carole looked slightly amused, "Oh really? And who is this awesome doctor?"

Kurt rolled his eyes at Blaine, "His name was Matt Foster, and he was fantastic. Have you ever heard of him?"

"Oh he's lovely. He's helped us out quite a few times, filling in when we needed help. It's a shame he works all the way out there. He doesn't live that far from here."

"Then you'll be happy to know that he's apparently transferring to Lima Memorial soon. Anyway...he was a real gentleman and even asked for permission to come into the room. He was really patient and nice…"

"But…"

"Well, he called for my test results and said that I needed to change my diet a bit and take some medications. You know how we've just kinda assumed I was anemic? Well I am...and I'm pregnant."

"Oh Kurt…" Carole didn't know what to say.

Kurt had gotten misty eyed the longer he spoke, "Dr. Foster said that everything looked all right at the moment, and as long as I took care of myself, there shouldn't be a problem with me carrying to full term, though he did say that the baby was a little small."

"Well, the baby won't be small for long - trust me on that. I take it that you're going to keep the baby?"

"Yeah I am. I know it's not going to be easy, but I already feel something for it." Kurt pulled a picture out of his pocket and showed it to Carole. "First time I've ever seen an ultrasound machine used in person."

Carole 'aww-ed' at the picture before handing it back to him, "How did you boys get your stuff here though? I can't imagine you had time to drive back to school and get here in time to get Finn and Puck to the game."

Blaine spoke up, "Nick and Jeff were waiting for us in the parking lot. They grabbed our stuff and brought everything to the hospital. If it wasn't for them, all of the Warblers would have probably ambushed us. We didn't tell them what was going on exactly. They're coming over tomorrow."

"That's fine. Is Nick going to be your test run then? Jeff, Finn, and Puck are the only ones who know everything, right?"

Kurt hadn't thought of it like that, "That's actually an interesting way to put it. I mean, Mike, Sam, and Artie were there when it happened, but I never told them I could get pregnant. The girls know about the attack, but not the details."

"And the rest of the Warblers know as much as the girls, although some of them might be suspecting something's up. No offense, but your on-and-off health hasn't helped."

Carole looked from Blaine to Kurt, "And what does that mean exactly?"

Kurt at least had the decency to blush, "I've been having headaches, dizzy spells, and fatigue for a while now, and I got sick before Sectionals - but that was just a stomach bug."

"Actually, now that I think about it, I think that was morning sickness. The freshmen were sick for three days and spent most of the day throwing up. I'll agree that the day before and the day of Sectional you were pretty much out of it, but you had a couple of tough mornings besides that, and just how many days were you living off of crackers and water?"

"Okay - point taken. But most days I was just woke up queasy. I was usually alright by lunchtime." Kurt got quiet for a second before staring at Carole. "What?" she asked.

"You're being really calm about this - not that I'm complaining. I kinda thought you wouldn't take this so well, considering Babygate last year."

"Maybe it's because this time I was half expecting it to happen so it's not as surprising, nor was it exactly preventable."

Blaine looked between Kurt and Carole, "Babygate?"

Carole looked at Kurt first, "Never got around to that story, huh?" Kurt shook his head. "Blaine, we had a little _situation _last year. Finn and Quinn were dating at the time. Quinn found out she was pregnant and told Finn he was the father. Turned out Finn thought that doing some things in a hot tub could get a girl pregnant. We eventually found out that Quinn had cheated on Finn with Puck. And over the course of the pregnancy, Quinn got kicked out of her house, lived with Finn and I for a while, then moved in with Mercedes. She had the baby the same day they lost Regionals. Do you know who Shelby Corcoran is?"

Blaine stared at Carole, "Who doesn't? She used to coach Vocal Adrenaline."

"Well, believe it or not, she's Rachel's biological mother. She adopted Beth," added Kurt.

"Wow." Blaine looked at Kurt, "You weren't kidding when you said New Directions was a drama club."

Kurt and Carole were still laughing when Burt walked in with pizza. He saw his wife and son in stitches, and Blaine in a state of shock. "So…what did I miss?"

* * *

By the time they finished eating, Carole had been completely brought up to speed about the doctor's appointment and what they'd need to work on in the next few months. Burt asked if Nick and Jeff were still coming over the following day, and if and when the rest of the kids would be finding out. Kurt had agreed with Carole on Nick being a test run; everyone else could wait until after break. Even though Kurt was in good shape, he wanted to wait a few more weeks until he cleared the first trimester, just in case.

Not long after they'd started watching TV, they saw a car pull up outside. Burt had said that Puck was coming home with Finn after the game to spend the night. Judging by the huge grins on their faces, no one really had to ask how the game went, but Burt asked anyway.

"Hey boys...so how'd you do? There's still pizza left if you're hungry."

"Sweet! Pizza!" yelled Finn.

"We totally kicked ass! We have the semi-final game next week, and once we win that, the championship game is the Saturday after school starts back up." Puck grabbed a slice of pizza before looking at Kurt and Blaine. "You gonna be up to coming to the next game? Everyone was asking about you two."

Blaine answered for both of them, "Definitely. Sorry we missed it tonight."

"Did Coach Beiste give you a hard time when you showed up?" Kurt asked.

"If I hadn't sent Sam that text, we wouldn't have been allowed to play. She was a lot better after Burt left though. Thanks by the way."

Burt waved him off, "Don't worry about it Finn - it's not like it was intentional. I promised her you'd be there early for the next one. Do that and we'll be fine."

Kurt had been falling asleep on Blaine before Finn and Puck got home, and once Carole noticed, nudged Burt and made a subtle motion towards the kitchen. Grabbing their plates, they made their way into the kitchen. Carole made a point that while it wasn't really late, some of them should probably go to bed, which brought up another question as to who was sleeping where. The extra bedroom had become a temporary storage room since they'd moved in, and the spare bed was still in Finn's room from a previous sleep-over.

"Obviously Puck is gonna bunk in Finn's room, but I didn't think about where Blaine was going to sleep. I'm not sure where that air mattress is so Blaine can sleep in Kurt's room. I'd kinda feel bad to make the kid sleep on the couch."

Carole had a thoughtful look on her face. "Burt, what if Blaine slept in Kurt's room anyway? They look so comfortable with each other, and it's not like we need to worry about them doing anything." Burt looked ready to interrupt. "No, just hear me out. Kurt's obviously exhausted and Blaine is like a safety blanket for him right now. You can't tell me you don't notice how content he looks right now. Besides, Kurt's bed is big enough for the two of them, and it's not like they're about to be up to no good."

Burt looked back into the living room and had to concede to Carole's point. By now Blaine was starting to doze a little bit as well, but he was subconsciously holding on to Kurt. Kurt also hadn't looked that relaxed in a while, but he was having trouble getting over the idea of his baby boy sharing a bed with another boy. He looked at Carole and saw the soft smile on her face.

He sighed. "Fine - but just for tonight. Then it's separate beds for the rest of the break."

"Wonderful. I'll take care of the boys, if you don't mind cleaning up?" Burt shooed her out and took care of the few things that needed to be washed up, while listening to several groans come from the living room as Carole started to corral the boys to bed.

Carole quietly told Finn and Puck how the sleeping arrangements were going to work for tonight, putting emphasis that it was just for the night, and that they'd re-establish house rules in the morning. She didn't expect the reaction she got.

"Mom, you've seen how Kurt and Blaine are, right? It doesn't bother me if they share the bed. Even I have to admit that Kurt sleeps much better with a teddy bear, and if you haven't noticed, Blaine is a cuddler. It's cool."

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Mrs. H. Everyone has bets on when those two officially hook up. Maybe this is that last nudge they need. If they start going out by Christmas, I win." Carole responded with a motherly swat on his arm.

"Oh, one more thing: could you two bring Kurt and Blaine's stuff upstairs for me please?"

With one less chore to worry about, she turned back to the couch to look at the next set of boys she needed to get upstairs. She knew from experience that waking up Kurt could either go very well or very badly, so she decided to wake up Blaine first. She lightly shook his shoulder - her reward being a slow head roll as his eyes opened and focused on her.

Blaine noticed that the TV was off and that everyone else was missing. "Um, hi."

Carole laughed, "Hi yourself. You ready for bed?"

"Yeah - it's been a long day. Oh, I meant to ask earlier - does Finn have a sleeping bag I can borrow? I packed a pillow."

"Actually Blaine, if you want, and Kurt is alright with it, you have our permission to sleep with Kurt tonight."

Blaine's jaw dropped and he looked at Kurt quickly before bringing his attention back to Carole. "Are you sure? I don't want to overstep any boundaries - I was fully prepared to sleep on the couch or the floor while I was here. I mean, we're not even together like that."

"Burt and I discussed it, and we trust the two of you; and seeing that Kurt is already pregnant, it's not like we need to worry about anything more happening, now do we?" she said with a smirk.

Blaine blushed and became speechless. Lucky for him, Kurt seemed to come to his senses and began to wake up a little. He looked around confused until he saw Blaine's red face and Carole's smirk. He looked back and forth before raising an eyebrow at his stepmother.

"What did you say to him, Carole? You should be proud - not many can render him speechless."

"Oh not much, just that your father and I agreed that one night with you two sharing your bed is okay with us if it's alright with you." Kurt quickly sat up in shock, which became a bad idea as he leapt off the couch and ran upstairs. It was Carole's turn to be speechless, as she watched Blaine get up and follow Kurt. When she made it upstairs herself, she heard Kurt throwing up in the bathroom. Burt ran up behind her and asked what was going on. Finn and Puck poked their heads out of the adjacent room and asked the same thing.

"Morning sickness."

"Mom - it's almost eleven at night."

Burt sighed and looked at the two boys. "Morning sickness doesn't know how to tell time." _His mother was the same way._ "We've got it covered, so don't worry about it. You two can play video games if you want - just keep it down for the rest of us, okay? Some of us have work in the morning." They nodded and closed the door, leaving the adults in the hallway.

Burt turned to Carole, "Go ahead and get ready for bed. I'm gonna check on Kurt and I'll be right there." Carole smiled and nodded and made her way down the hallway to their room. Burt made his way to Kurt's room, seeing that while the bedroom door was still open, the bathroom door wasn't. He didn't want to just leave without checking on Kurt first, so he walked over to the door and gently knocked. Blaine opened the door and let Burt walk in. His heart broke to see Kurt kneeling in front of the toilet, throwing up. It had been a very long time since he's seen his son like that.

"Blaine, can you give us a second? Finn brought your bag up if you want to get changed for bed." Blaine nodded in agreement and slipped out. Burt grabbed a washcloth and got down on the floor. By that point Kurt seemed to be finished, but wasn't ready to move yet.

"You know, I wonder if this is payback from a certain angel of yours. I seem to remember doing this very same thing a long time ago." Burt smiled when he heard his son groan. "You sound like her too."

"Now is not the time to be making fun of me, Dad. And whose bright idea was it to call it 'morning' sickness. I've done this more at night before I go to bed; I'm usually just queasy in the morning."

Burt let out a laugh, "Your mother asked me the same thing. Although if you're just like her, a couple more weeks of this, and it'll be all done. You only made her sick like this during the first trimester."

"I thought she was sick for the whole thing?"

"Not quite, but that second round was due to complications - she didn't blame you for any of that...just for the first couple months."

"Ha ha, because that makes me feel so much better."

Burt saw how tired Kurt was and decided that he'd been teased enough for one night. "So you ready to get up now - I'm not as young as I used to be, and this floor is not doing me any favors at the moment."

"Yeah, I think I'm done. Was Carole serious earlier, Dad? You're letting Blaine sleep with me, in my bed?"

"We trust both of you, and even the two knuckleheads down the hall gave their approval. We'll figure out something else tomorrow. In the meantime, just get some sleep. Puck brought your bag upstairs...wasn't sure if you had all of your skin stuff up here."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm too damn tried to even worry about it right now. I just want to cuddle with Blaine and sleep."

"Oh really now? Do I need to get my shotgun?"

"Oh my - just shoot me now. NO, you don't need your shotgun. I was quite comfortable on the couch, and if I hadn't been woken up, we wouldn't be in here, on my bathroom floor, reminiscing."

"Alright, alright, I get it...we'll talk more in the morning."

"Thank you. Now, can you help me up, please? I need to brush my teeth."

Burt got up and slowly helped up Kurt, grabbing his elbow when he looked ready to topple over. After brushing his teeth, both of them walked back into the bedroom to see Blaine returning from downstairs.

"How are you feeling Kurt? I grabbed some water for you." Blaine held out the glass to the pale boy, who nodded his thanks. Burt felt that he'd overstayed his welcome, so he bid the two goodnight, and closed the bedroom door behind him with a soft click. As much as he wanted to walk back to his and Carole's room, Burt was curious as to how Blaine handled Kurt when he was like this. He didn't have to wait very long.

"I almost wish I got sick in the morning like a normal person, but doing this now isn't all that bad. At least once I fall asleep, I'm out for the night."

"I wish you didn't have to get sick at all, Kurt. I hate to see you so miserable. Do you need help changing?"

"I should be fine, as long as you grab me some clothes. If I don't have to get up right now, that would be very helpful." Blaine grabbed the requested items, before going into the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he came out, he saw Kurt curled up on the bed, already changed.

"Are you sure you're alright Kurt?"

"Yeah, I just need some sleep…are _you_okay with sleeping with me? I don't think I asked that."

"It wouldn't be the first time we've shared a bed." Burt's jaw dropped at hearing that. _What!_

"For sleeping overnight it is, and don't say something like that in front of Dad. No need to have him freaking out over nothing." _That's not exactly nothing..._

"Doesn't seem much different than when we fall asleep watching movies and take hour-long naps...and Carole assumes that we cuddle all the time anyway." _I need to just walk away and talk to Carole in the morning...not sure I can handle any more surprises right now._ Burt finally walked away from Kurt's room after that, deciding to just forget about what he just heard, and planning on talking to his wife later.

"How does she know? You know what, never mind, I don't care. I need sleep and warmth. Good night Blaine."

"Good night Kurt." Blaine turned off the lamp and rolled over so that he could pull Kurt against his chest. He had to admit this was much better than a sleeping bag on the floor...and he could totally get used to this.

* * *

The following morning found Kurt and Blaine waiting for Jeff and Nick to arrive. Carole was at work and Finn and Puck had offered to help Burt at the shop. Apparently they were going to be busier than they expected, and Burt needed some extra help for the day. Kurt usually filled in, but he knew that his son was going to need the afternoon - and an empty house - to talk to the duo, and after their long day yesterday, he more than deserved the day off. This also meant that end of year inventory was going to have to wait a few more days - Kurt was _the_ best at doing inventory.

Kurt and Blaine were currently lounging on the couch, as Kurt was once again in a 'not moving from this spot' mood. While he didn't get sick again during the night, he spent quality time with the toilet once he got up, which led to him eating a breakfast of ginger ale and crackers. He was keeping his fingers crossed that once Nick and Jeff arrived that he'd be able to keep down lunch.

"Hey Kurt? Do you find it weird that your morning sickness is worse here than it was at school?" While Blaine had been the first to say it, Kurt had been thinking it.

"Maybe being told that 'you're pregnant' triggers something and makes you feel worse than you already are. It's not like I was sick every day at school, but ever since the appointment, it just seems more - I don't know…"

"Real?"

"I guess...maybe I'll luck out tonight and I won't have to worry about throwing up. I'll take the intense headaches over the vomiting any day." Kurt closed his eyes and leaned into Blaine, who in turn, wrapped his arm around Kurt and tugged him closer to him. "Mmm...you're so warm, Blaine. It's not fair. How are you so warm?"

"I dunno...genes? I don't think your fair complexion really helps you any. Good thing you have me then, huh?" he said with a smirk.

Kurt rolled his eyes and as he went to give a comment back, was interrupted by a voice.

"Aww look at them, Nicky...they are so cute together." Kurt and Blaine looked up to see Jeff and Nick standing off to the side.

Blaine just raised an eyebrow at the duo. "You know, it's not nice to just waltz into somebody else's house without knocking first." Jeff smirked back and threw himself onto a chair, while Nick rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. "It is when I have permission via text to 'walk in when you get here - I'm not getting up to let you in'."

Blaine looked at Kurt, "So I'm not good enough to answer the door?"

Kurt looked right back, "If I'm holding you hostage on the couch, how exactly would you be able to get up and let them in?"

"Good point." Nick returned from the kitchen with several bottles of water, passing one to each of the boys before sitting down. "So - you two gonna tell us what happened yesterday? You have no idea what we had to deal with when we showed up at school with no news on you. Everyone is worried about you, Kurt."

"Sorry guys, but I was a little shell-shocked yesterday. I'll tell you both what happened, but we have to do a little backstory first, so Jeff - you're gonna have to wait a little longer. Nick, you don't know about everything that happened with Karofsky."

"Well, I'm aware that you got beaten up pretty badly by that jock...can't say that I didn't expect there was another reason. That night it happened, Jeff and Blaine came back and said you were in really bad shape and in the hospital. Next thing we know - you're at Dalton." Nick stared at Kurt for a moment, "You have that same look you did yesterday, when you got to the car...there's something more isn't there?"

"A bit more, yeah. I wasn't just beaten up. Before Finn and the guys came in the locker room, I hit my head on the bench. I blacked out long enough for Karofsky to decide that just physically hurting me wasn't enough...he raped me." Nick was speechless, while Jeff didn't like where this conversation was going already and had started to pale. "When I woke up in the hospital, I was told that I was able to get pregnant." _No, _Jeff thought, _please no_. "I know I haven't been my best the last few weeks, but passing out yesterday was probably the kick I needed to get checked out. Which leads me to my news." Kurt took a deep breath and looked at both Nick and Jeff.

"I'm pregnant."

Nick didn't know what to say, nor was he prepared for his boyfriend's reaction. Jeff threw the water bottle he was squeezing on the floor and had tears in his eyes. "Please tell me this isn't happening Kurt."

"Jeff - I wouldn't make this up. They took some blood and ran some tests. I have some vitamins to take and a modified diet to follow. I even got to see the baby and hear its heartbeat."

Nick finally found his voice and turned to Jeff, "You knew about this? And you didn't say anything?"

"I was there that night, Nick, remember? And it wasn't my story to tell, even though I almost did once or twice. Blaine can tell you that I wasn't happy when we were told that bit of news."

Kurt looked between Jeff and Blaine, still a little shocked at Jeff's reaction. He wasn't in the room when his family found out. Blaine sighed, "Wasn't happy is an understatement; you were pissed. I'd never seen you act like that before, hell, you cursed Dr. Howard out quite spectacularly, as I recall."

Kurt actually let out a laugh, "Is that why she flinches when I mention Jeff to her?" He saw a slight smirk on the blonde's face, though his eyes were still wet. "Come here Jeff, just take it easy." Kurt held his arms open and pulled Jeff into a hug. He looked up at Nick and tried to gauge his reaction to everything. Kurt hadn't meant to make it that short and sweet, but the main points of the story - being raped, finding out he was a carrier, and getting told he was actually pregnant - were all hit.

"You said all that like it was nothing," said Nick, "like if you didn't do it quick, you wouldn't have said anything."

Kurt sighed and shifted his body slightly to accommodate Jeff, who was now refusing to let go of him. "I didn't know how else to do it. It's not something that I like to talk about. I feel bad that I didn't tell you any of this sooner."

"Who else knows about this?"

"Besides you two: Dad, Carole, Blaine, Finn and Puck know everything. The rest of the guys don't know I can get pregnant; the girls don't know about the rape; and the Warblers, as far as I know, just know about the physical beating. I haven't figured out yet how I'm going to tell this to everyone. I'll probably start to show soon, and I'd rather explain things before then. My first trimester is almost over already, and I don't even know if I'll be able to stay at Dalton."

"You're everybody's favorite, Kurt. I highly doubt you'd be kicked out for something that wasn't your fault in the first place. The rest of the Warblers have been concerned about you for weeks. They'll be relieved to know you're not dying, although it won't be good if they find out where that asshole is - they'll join up with your New Directions and kill him."

"I'm glad you're taking this so well, although your body language tells another story." Nick hadn't realized that his hands were shaking, nor how tense he'd gotten.

"You need a Kurt hug, Nick." Nick looked at Jeff and saw him shift over so that he could do just that. Nick stood up and relaxed once he felt Kurt's arms wrap around him. He was finally done processing the last ten minutes and asked the only thing he could think to ask, as he pulled back.

"So Kurt - got a picture of Baby Hummel then?"

* * *

When Burt and Finn got home a couple of hours later, they were expecting to hear more than just the TV. Judging by the additional car outside, Nick and Jeff were still here, and both Burt and Finn were curious as to how they handled the news. Finn would deny it later, but he actually 'aww-ed' at the sight of the four boys in the living room.

The credits for whatever movie they had been watching were rolling on the screen, and their trash from lunch - which looked to be grilled cheese and tomato soup - was stacked semi-neatly on one end of the table. Burt saw the sonogram picture and some of the reading material Matt had given them, as well as Kurt's vitamins, on the other end. He guessed that things had gone well enough, since all of the boys were napping on the couch. Blaine was holding onto Kurt; Jeff was curled into Kurt; and Nick was wrapped around Jeff.

He had to admit that it was sweet.

He was content to just leave them there, but there was a chance for flurries, and he wanted Nick and Jeff to make it home before that happened. Like Carole had done the previous night, Burt walked to the end of the couch where Blaine was, and knelt on the floor before gently shook his shoulder. It took a moment, but Blaine opened one eye and saw Burt standing there.

"This being waken up by your friend's parents thing is starting to become normal for me." Burt quietly laughed before agreeing with him. "What time is it?"

Burt looked at the clock, "It's almost 3:30. How long do you think you've been asleep?"

Blaine shook his head to wake himself up. "Kurt didn't last through the first fifteen minutes of the movie...the rest of us kinda started to doze about halfway, so maybe an hour or so?"

"Okay, so we'll let Kurt sleep some more, but we need to wake the other two. We're getting a slight storm, and I'd rather they get home before that starts." Blaine nodded his agreement and slowly began to untangle himself from Kurt. Burt figured it'd be safe to start at the other end, and tapped Nick awake. After letting him know to keep quiet, Nick worked on waking himself up, as well as Jeff. It took a few minutes but eventually Kurt was the only one left on the couch. Nick and Jeff grabbed their trash, while Blaine got Kurt set up with a pillow and blanket. Burt motioned for the boys to meet him in the kitchen.

The trio assured him that they'd keep their conversation under wraps for the time being. Burt wasn't worried about them keeping their word, and after asking them to text Blaine once they got home, they made their way out. Burt turned to Blaine and asked how they took the news, remembering Jeff's initial reaction all those weeks ago in the hospital. Blaine gave him a quick rundown of the day's events, at first not wanting to include how Kurt's morning started, but felt that it was needed to explain Kurt's extended nap. Burt waved it off and pointed out that this wasn't his first pregnancy and just hoped that Kurt's wouldn't take much more after Elizabeth's - for everyone's sakes.

* * *

After a rocky start, the rest of winter break went relatively smoothly. Kurt didn't get sick every day, nor did he overexert himself. He and Blaine got most of their homework done early so they could spend time doing other things. Some habits were changed to accommodate Kurt, like limiting the amount of grease in the morning, or trying to not drink coffee in front of him.

Other things were left alone, like where Blaine slept at night. Even though the spare bed was now free, Burt didn't have the heart to separate the boys after dealing with Kurt's nightmares the first night they slept apart. Talking to Nick and Jeff, while necessary and somewhat therapeutic, brought other things to the front of Kurt's mind. After witnessing how well Blaine handled Kurt after a nightmare, and getting an endorsement from Finn, Burt let it be known that it was okay for the two to share a bed. Burt, of course, couldn't help but mention his shotgun threat to Blaine - who was afraid to ask whether Burt actually _had_ one, since he had yet to see it - and was assured that no funny business would take place.

At least for now.

What Blaine didn't mention to anyone else was that he was planning on asking Kurt to officially be his boyfriend. He was well aware that all of their friends had started a betting pool, and unbeknownst to Wes, he had seen the spreadsheet. A lot of people had already lost; most of them had picked dates from as early as Kurt's transfer, to a couple of days before New Year's. The note at the bottom of the sheet had said something that had made Blaine laugh and had decided for him when he'd ask Kurt.

_**If these two are not in a relationship by the start of 2011, then they are more oblivious than we thought possible. If nothing happens by the time school begins for the spring semester, bets will be forfeited and returned.**_

* * *

2010 was coming to a close and parties were being planned. Blaine and Kurt had been invited to a joint Warbler-New Directions New Year's Eve party, which would be held at Rachel's place. Rachel and Wes, the respective heads of the groups, decided that even though there were competitors, they had become friends, or at least civil to each other. One thing they agreed on: they both wanted Kurt and Blaine to attend.

Blaine and Kurt were very happy with the idea. They didn't want to have to bail on one group or the other for a party, so this was the best of both worlds. Lauren even showed up, as well as Wes, Thad, and David's girlfriends. It also set the stage for Blaine to ask Kurt out.

Once the party got going, so did the karaoke. Blaine decided to take advantage of the stage and picked out a duet to sing to Kurt. Before they'd perform, though, they were going to have a little chat first. Blaine found Kurt and took him upstairs away from the party, and sat him down on the couch.

"Is everything alright Blaine? I've been worried about you for a couple days now. You've been on edge."

"There's a good reason for that, I swear." Kurt was definitely curious by now, and was starting to get worried. He wasn't used to a nervous Blaine.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you, Kurt."

"What is it, Blaine? You know we can talk to each other about anything."

"Kurt, there's a moment when you say to yourself 'Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you forever.' When I first saw you, I was star struck. You're an amazing person, and after everything you've had to deal with these last few months - you move me, Kurt. I don't know how anyone else could've dealt with everything like you have and still be sane about it. I really care about you and I want to ask you something that I've been trying to work up the courage to do for the last few weeks.

"Kurt Hummel, would you do me the honor of becoming my boyfriend?" Kurt didn't need long to think about it.

"Blaine Anderson - I would like nothing more than to be your boyfriend. Are you sure you can handle being with me and my issues, because I'm a bit of a package deal right now," glancing down at his barely visible bump.

"I haven't left you yet, and I don't plan on it. You are perfect to me." Blaine shifted closer to Kurt and moved in for a light kiss. He pulled away long enough to look in Kurt's misty eyes, before moving in for a second kiss, this one with more passion than either of them expected. Once they separated, Blaine and Kurt just looked into each other's eyes, and smiled.

"So what do you have planned for us? And are you planning on showing us off to everyone downstairs?"

"Only if you're comfortable with that...I have a song in mind that will blow them all away, a personal favorite of yours if I recall."

"Oh yeah? Do tell."

"I'll give you a hint: consider the temperature outside." Kurt tilted his head to the side, and then began to smile.

"Care to escort me to the stage, kind sir?"

"I'd be delighted." And with that, the new couple made their way back to the party, where they met up with Finn at the bottom of the stairs.

"You two alright? I saw you go up and was about to come looking for you." Blaine and Kurt gave each other small smiles before letting Finn know that everything was more than alright. Finn saw the way they looked at each other, and after seeing the way they were holding hands, it was as if a light bulb had gone off.

"Oh my god - it's about freakin' time!" Finn pulled them both into quick hugs. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Thanks Finn. Now, if you don't mind, I've promised Kurt here a song. Is the stage free?"

"Definitely." They made their way to the stage, Blaine grabbing the microphones while Kurt set up the music. Most of the room had noticed the two on stage and were eager to hear what they were about to sing.

"Hello everyone. In the spirit of the lovely weather we are having, Kurt and I would like to sing something for you." Finn was more than happy to push play for them. Once the first few notes began, everyone knew what song it was.

_I really can't stay_ - **But baby it's cold outside**

_I've got to go away_ - **But baby it's cold outside**

_This evening has been_ - **Been hoping that you'd drop in**

_So very nice_ - **I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice**

_My mother will start to worry_ - **Beautiful, what's your hurry?**

_My father will be pacing the floor_ -** Listen to the fireplace roar**

_So really I'd better scurry_ - **Beautiful, please don't hurry**

_Well maybe just a half a drink_ _more_ - **Put some records on while I pour**

_The neighbors might think_ - **Baby, it's bad out there**

_Say, what's in this drink?_ - **No cabs to be had out there**

_I wish I knew how_ - **Your eyes are like starlight now**

_To break the spell_ - **I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell**

_I ought to say no, no, no, sir_ - **Mind if I move in closer?**

_At least I'm gonna say that I tried_ - **What's the sense in hurting my pride?**

_I really can't stay_ - **Baby don't hold out**

_**Oh, but it's cold outside**_

_I simply must go_ - **But, baby, it's cold outside.**

_The answer is no_ - **But, baby, it's cold outside**.

_This welcome has been_ - **How lucky that you dropped in.**

_So nice and warm_ - **Look out the window at that storm.**

_My sister will be suspicious_ - **Gosh, your lips look delicious.**

_My brother will be there at the door_ - **Waves upon a tropical storm.**

_My maiden aunt's mind is vicious_ - **Oh, your lips are delicious.**

_Maybe just a cigarette more_ - **Never such a blizzard before.**

_I've got to go home_ - **But, baby, you'll freeze out there**

_Say, lend me your coat_ - **It's up to your knees out there**

_You've really been grand_ - **I'm thrilled when you touch my hand**

_But don't you see_ - **How can you do this thing to me?**

_There's bound to be talk tomorrow_ - **Think of my life long sorrow**

_At least there will be plenty implied_ - **If you caught pneumonia and died**

_I really can't stay_ - **Get over that hold out**

_**Ohhh, baby it's cold outside**_

As if they'd forgotten about their audience, the couple leaned in for another kiss, both thinking that they could get used to this. It took a shout from David to separate the two.

"Klaine is officially on! Wes - who's the winner?" Blaine saw the look on Kurt's face, and was only slightly frightened when his eyes met Kurt's. "Anderson - if you did this because of a betting pool, I'm kicking your ass."

"I didn't lie about asking you out, or wanting to be with you - I'd been working on doing that for weeks. The timing works out because -"

"There's no freakin' way! NOBODY WON!"

"WHAT!"

"With everyone here you're telling me nobody gets the pot?"

"Well, this sucks."

Several more colorful responses, as well as some moaning, took place, to the amusement of the new pair.

Blaine turned back to Kurt, "That's why. This way, nobody wins anything, except for us."

"Seriously?"

"You like it."

While everyone was moaning, and trying to change the rules so that someone won - "Wes, you lost a month ago!" - Finn walked over to Kurt and Blaine. "Hey I have an idea for who gets the pot, but that will depend on you, Kurt."

Kurt, at least, looked intrigued, "What did you have in mind, Finn?"

"What if you tell them about the baby? You could use the money to buy stuff, or save it for later. I mean, both groups are here and you would only need to tell the whole story again one more time. We go back to school in a few days anyway. If you don't want to say anything, that's fine - it's just a suggestion."

Kurt looked unsure about it, but Blaine agreed with him. "Finn has a point, Kurt, and you're gonna start showing soon too. This isn't something that you should have to hide from them, and they've been worried about you. It would also make me feel better. If something were to happen to you while we're at school, it's something that needs to be known. It's really up to you. Don't let us pressure you to do it now if you don't want to."

While Kurt agreed with both of them, he was a little leery at having to explain it all again. But the idea that he'd only have to explain one more time was too appealing to pass up. "Okay, but I have one condition: I want to do it before midnight. Then I can push all of this to last year and focus on 2011. I don't want to think about it anymore - I have the rest of junior year and a baby to worry about."

Finn and Blaine saw that as a reasonable condition. Finn took it upon himself to calm down Puck, Santana, David and Wes - they were the most vocal about the betting pool and it was getting out of hand. He left Blaine to take care of Kurt.

"You sure about this, Kurt? You don't have to do this now."

"I'm sure. I meant what I said, Blaine. I'd rather explain it one more time while everyone is together, than have to do this over and over. And you're right - they should know in case something happens. Just do me a favor?"

"Name it."

"Hold my hand?"

"I'll do one better." Blaine sat down and pulled Kurt in front of him, so Kurt was sitting between his legs and against his chest. "This way, I can hold you both." Kurt blushed and gave Blaine a quick kiss. "Thank you."

Once Kurt had everyone's attention, he made it a point that they all needed to keep their mouths shut until he finished. Kurt didn't know how everyone was going to react to everything. He figured the girls would be upset, the Dalton guys would be in shock, and the McKinley guys would be out for blood. He began with the locker slam in the hallway and ended it with the announcement of the baby.

Kurt forgot who he was talking to.

Santana had started cursing in Spanish; Trent and Thad were sharing tears with Tina and Rachel; Mercedes was pissed; all of the straight guys in the room were having trouble wrapping their minds around the fact that, apparently, boys could get pregnant, as well as wondering why Puck _wasn't_ freaking out; and Brittany seemed to take the news the best, if her happiness at a 'baby dolphin' was anything to go by.

Kurt made a point of speaking to Wes and explaining that he still needed to speak to Professor Dippet once they got back. Wes and David assured him that he wouldn't be kicked out of the school or the Warblers - they would just need to do some modifications. He received promises of shopping trips from the girls, and manual labor from the boys. He also made them promise not to do anything stupid, whether it was on school grounds or off-campus; it wouldn't be helpful if any of them were also incarcerated.

Finn did make the suggestion about using the betting pool money as a baby fund, which was quickly agreed upon. Kurt was relieved that while still in various states of shock, all of his friends were being supportive. Blaine left Kurt long enough to get them something to drink, and when he got back, saw Kurt speaking with Quinn. In all honesty, her response was the one he had been waiting for. This was practically déjà vu for her, just happening to someone else. Blaine hoped there'd be no hard feelings, considering Kurt was keeping his baby and Quinn didn't, but the smiles on their faces made him feel better.

* * *

It wasn't long before the start of 2011 was five minutes away. Puck took it upon himself to pass out little cups of champagne to everyone, leaving Kurt for last. Kurt just gave him a look as he took his cup, which was a different color to the rest. A quick look showed no bubbles - apple juice.

As soon as the ball dropped, the basement was filled with a very odd rendition of _Auld Lang Syne_ from some, while others were focused on their partners. Kurt declared 'good riddance' to 2010 before sharing another kiss from his new boyfriend. The party lasted a little while longer, but eventually started to wind down as people starting heading home. Kurt was one of the few that fell asleep as soon as they got in the car.

Finn was kind enough to just carry Kurt into the house once they got home instead of having to wake him up. They were surprised to see Carole up when they got home, since they had forgotten that she was on call for the weekend. She was worried to see her son carrying Kurt, but Blaine quickly explained that he was just exhausted and that this seemed easier than waking him up. She smiled in understanding and bid the boys goodnight.

Finn left Blaine to get Kurt ready for bed and Blaine thanked Finn for the help. It was only a few minutes before Blaine got into bed himself, and it was only a few seconds before Kurt was curled into Blaine once again. Blaine smiled as he pulled Kurt closer to him, kissing him once more on the forehead, before acknowledging the one obstacle that he knew had to be dealt with tomorrow: Burt. While he knew the man seemed to like him a lot, he was still wary of having to tell him that he was now going out with his son. _Maybe we should tell Carole first and she can help soften the blow,_ he thought.

As he drifted off to sleep, he had no idea that Finn hadn't closed the door all the way. Neither of the sleeping boys saw the smile on Burt's face. He hadn't gone to sleep yet, waiting for the boys to get home. Finn was already passed out, and after seeing how happy Carole looked as she left for work, he wanted to see Kurt and Blaine for himself. Burt watched how Blaine took care of Kurt, and he wondered how long he'd have to wait for them to tell him they were official. Finn had been the one to text him a few hours ago with the heads up, and both he and Carole couldn't be happier.

What - did they think only their friends were in on the betting pool?


	7. Mama Dalton

**This is where we have a big time gap from _Winter Break Revelations_ to_ Mama Dalton_. Here, ****Kurt is roughly 5 months-ish pregnant.**

**Since we don't know a whole lot about any of the Warblers, I'm making up a brief back-story for Jeff and Nick. ****I'm going with the thought that Regionals took place during the second half of the school year, but before spring break. **

_**Mama Dalton**_

* * *

Jeff really hated his boyfriend sometimes. There were reasons why he stayed at Dalton as much as possible. Whether it was tutoring, playing sports or just hanging with the Warblers, he made sure to stay away from his parents' house. He knew Nick meant well, but he didn't understand his family dynamic, which in all reality, didn't exist.

Nick had a younger sister and an even younger brother. His parents loved him and loved Jeff like he was another one of their kids. He had no problem leaving school to visit his family, often bringing Jeff along for the ride. Nick's parents were 'mom and dad' to Jeff. If he ever spoke of his parents, they were 'mother and father', or he'd just use their names.

Blaine could relate to Jeff. They were both the younger sons, with older brothers - straight with a girlfriend/fiancé - whose parents were never around, and did their best to ignore the fact they were gay. Sure, they kept up appearances by letting them go to Dalton and supporting them financially, but they weren't **parents.**

The part that confused Nick the most, at first, was how well and how quickly Jeff took to Kurt. Kurt had a completely different family dynamic. His dad made time for him and actually gave a damn. He had a mother that was a mom, and a new stepmom that cared for him. He was an only child, until he gained a stepbrother, but for the most part, Kurt had a really good home life.

So how come Jeff could talk to Kurt, someone he hadn't known for a long time, and not to his boyfriend and confidante of years?

Well, that wasn't fair. Jeff and Kurt had become friends quickly, and it was thanks on Jeff's part that Kurt was at Dalton in the first place, because really, how could you send someone that was raped by a male to an all-boys academy, and one that was a good hour and change away from home?

Jeff was the one to pitch the idea to Blaine, who then passed it along to Finn, which then led to some of the boys meeting Burt Hummel.

What was the idea?

Have Burt ask them questions about the school and themselves, back it up with some literature, and most importantly, prove that Dalton would be a great place for Kurt to feel safe. Nick still got goose bumps thinking about the first time they met Kurt's dad.

* * *

**-flashback -**

Finn had only heard Kurt talk about Blaine, after his failed spy attempt. This 'Blaine' guy sounded too good to be true at first, but even Finn had to admit, this unknown boy was doing wonders for Kurt's morale. Finn physically met Blaine while Burt was in the hospital. Kurt hadn't wanted to bother him, but Finn could tell that Kurt needed someone to talk to. After the whole religion debacle, Kurt was even more elusive than any of the New Directions had expected. So Finn stole Kurt's phone, called Blaine, and asked if he could come by.

To this day, Finn owes Blaine. Not many people would do a favor for someone they've never met, nor would they comply so quickly. When Finn had walked Blaine into Burt's hospital room, he wasn't sure what to expect. After watching his father lay comatose for several days, Kurt was at the end of his rope. If Finn knew how he'd react to Blaine, he would've stolen Kurt's phone sooner.

Just hearing a soft 'Kurt' from Blaine's mouth was the last straw. Kurt wrapped himself around Blaine and just sobbed. Finn left them to it and came back an hour later to find a sad Blaine and an unconscious, emotionally drained Kurt. Finn didn't need to tell Blaine that Kurt hadn't slept at all that week, or eaten much, or taken care of himself at all.

Finn thanked Blaine, then and there, for not beating up Kurt for spying. Blaine told him flat out that Kurt was the worst spy ever, but his best friends thought it was cute and liked Kurt, even though they had only hung out a few times. Blaine knew what was going on at McKinley and offered to gather information about Dalton for them. He was adamant that he did not want to steal Kurt from them, rather give them an option they wouldn't have known about otherwise.

Burt woke up almost two days later. When Blaine got the text, he told the Warblers, who had by now either heard the story of the endearing spy from McKinley, or had met him. A week later, Blaine took Wes, David, Nick and Jeff to Lima. The original plan was to check on Kurt and hang out. However, their plans changed when they got there.

That was the first time they met Burt Hummel.

He was still recovering at home, but certainly felt good enough to entertain these new friends of Kurt's. When they first arrived, Finn had met them at the door with two options: come back in a little bit, or face Burt's inquisition. When Blaine had asked why, Finn informed them that he was headed back to school for practice and Kurt was still at the shop, and wouldn't be back for at least a half-hour or so.

Burt chose for them, and invited them into the living room. It would be a conversation to remember.

* * *

"You must be the boys from Dalton. Kurt can't seem to stop talking about you kids...some of you more than others." All five of them laughed weakly, but Blaine blushed the most.

"Well, that answers my first question. You must be Blaine." Needless to say, the blush faded and Blaine just looked scared. "Don't look like that. I've never seen Kurt get so excited about anything like he is about you." That comment caused the blush to return and the tension level to decrease.

"Now I'm not one to beat around the bush. Finn mentioned that you guys wanted to tell me something, and that it involves Kurt. I take it he's not aware of this?"

Blaine was wise enough to man up. "No sir, he's not. I know you're aware that Kurt is having a tough time at school." Burt nodded. "We wanted to offer our expertise of Dalton. This isn't a sales pitch. It's more of an option in case anything happens."

"Well, this isn't what I was expecting...go on."

The five boys sat in shock for a few moments before Wes started talking. It made sense to have the encyclopedia of Dalton Academy go first with a brief history of the school. A big selling point - they could tell - was the zero tolerance policy. They mentioned the courses, sports, clubs, Warblers, tuition, and scholarships. After each of them said their piece, they waited to hear Burt's opinion.

"You boys should seriously go into advertising or something. That was impressive. But would it be alright if I asked a few personal questions? You are not obligated to answer." They looked at each other before nodding.

"I can tell the anti-bullying policy is a big deal to all of you. How many of you are gay, if you don't mind me asking?"

"The school as a whole, or us sitting right here?"

"Either or both."

"Overall, the school is mostly straight, but some of us are gay. I am; Nick and Jeff have been together forever. Wes and David have girlfriends that attend our sister school. And yes, the policy is a reason why many of the students go to Dalton. It's a private school, so it's not an option for everyone, but they have made exceptions in the past, as well as help with financial aid. I was a mid-transfer myself."

Jeff hadn't said too much during the discussion, but felt the need to speak up before Kurt came home. "Mr. Hummel, we'd love for Kurt to come to Dalton. We haven't hung out too much yet, but Kurt seems to be one of a kind, and someone like that would be a great friend to have. Even if he stays at McKinley, I would have no problem meeting up with him to hang with. But I have to ask - has he always been 'parent-like'?"

Burt wasn't sure how to respond. At first he thought Blondie was trying to start something, but seeing the brunette next to him slap his head, realized the kid was not trying to be mean, just wasn't sure how to phrase the question.

"Jeff was it? I think you need to tell me what 'parent-like' means first. I don't think I've ever heard that phrase before."

Jeff bit his lip before responding, "I don't intend to be mean or anything, but Kurt is mature for his age - like **real** mature. He actually cares about other people's opinions, but isn't quick to judge. My parents don't give a damn about me and they never ask how I'm doing - I rarely see them. Kurt probably knows more about me than my parents do, and he hasn't known me for long."

"How so?"

"They pretend to care by sending me gifts; I think it's just to keep appearances/ whatever the reason, they sent me cookies and Kurt took them away from me before I could have one. They sent me macaroons."

"Kurt's made them before for Carole. Those are the flaky, coconut ones, right?"

"Yeah. Here's the kicker: I'm severely allergic to coconut. Eating one, let alone just touching one, is very bad. Kurt asks like the parent I wish I had."

"His mom died when he was a kid, and I didn't handle it well. Kurt has always been independent, and if it wasn't for him, I don't know where I'd be. If only I listened to him more, maybe it wouldn't have taken a heart attack for me to understand his point. And thanks to him, I have a woman I care about, and another almost-son. Nothing against you three," pointing at Blaine, Nick, and Jeff, "but Kurt can't really pass off as straight. He's out and proud and has no problem telling you that.

"I love my son, and I wouldn't change him for anything, but I worry about him every day. To know he's got his glee club watching out for him here, and finding out he's got friends away from there too, helps. I'll keep in mind what you said and I'll get back to you if needed. If you ever need an adult to talk to, I'm available. And thank you."

The five boys were speechless, Jeff and Blaine a little misty-eyed. Lucky for them they heard a car pull up, a door shut, and the front door open.

"Hey Dad - whose car is outside? It looks like - Blaine! What are you all doing here?" before turning to his dad and asking, "are you being nice to them, because so help you if that's not the case." Kurt finished off with the standard parent pose of arms crossed and foot tapping.

"You have no faith in me kid, do you...that hurts."

Kurt rolled his eyes at his father, "Please, I know how much of a papa bear you are. Now if you all would excuse me for a few minutes, I'm just gonna clean up and change into better attire."

They all watched him walk off before Burt spoke up again, "Jeff I know exactly what you mean. He's been like that since he was five, and I wouldn't change it for anything."

* * *

Several weeks later, Burt and Carole were married, and Finn and Kurt were brothers.

Two weeks after that Kurt was in the hospital. Remembering the conversation that felt so long ago, Burt called up Dalton. The headmaster expressed concern for Kurt and the given situation. All Burt would say was that he had met some of the students and was impressed. Shortly thereafter, Kurt was enrolled at Dalton.

**-end of flashback-**

* * *

Nick was confused.

He was supposed to meet up with Jeff for coffee after his doctor's appointment, but when he went to his dorm room, Jeff was nowhere to be found. He knew he had to be on campus, somewhere, because his car was in the lot. He'd tried calling and texting him, with no response. He was starting to get worried.

He checked with most of the Warblers and none of them had seen him since that morning, but it was chaos in the school, as it was the last day before spring break. They actually had a full week this year, not just a five day weekend. There were boys, books, and suitcases all over the place. Everyone was, more or less, being kicked out by 8 pm tonight. Apparently, they needed to repair the roof and some of the plumbing, which is why they didn't have to return until the following Monday.

Which led to his current dilemma.

Jeff was spending the break at his house. They were planning to leave around the same time as everyone else, but he wanted to at least get their stuff in the car beforehand. Nick lived about 30 minutes from Dalton, and by that time of night, the traffic shouldn't be too bad. But, he couldn't leave without Jeff.

Nick smacked himself on the head. He'd missed somebody he could ask.

Kurt.

If anyone knew where his favorite blonde had disappeared to, Kurt would. More than likely, Jeff was hanging with him in Kurt's room. While Nick was taking Jeff, Kurt was kidnapping Blaine, well, kind of. His parents were, once again, out of town to who knows where. It really wasn't 'kidnapping' because even though they were heading to Lima, they were taking Blaine's car. Kurt wasn't driving anymore, so there was no point in having it sit in Westerville.

By this point, Kurt was 22 weeks along, and after an-almost trip to the hospital after passing out at Regionals, everyone was leery of letting Kurt drive, not just because of that though. Kurt had already gained enough weight to make driving uncomfortable, not impossible, just uncomfortable.

Ah, Regionals.

Nick was thankful spring break came after the competition. At least this way, they could all relax. After the fiasco that was Sectionals, what with them adding two news choirs to the rotation and causing mass confusion for everyone involved, Regionals was a piece of cake...and then shocking.

The Warblers were supposed to compete against New Directions at Sectionals, but last minute entries had divided them up, thus letting each group win their respective division. At Regionals they were competitors, but the most surprising part wasn't Kurt passing out from overexertion. It was the fact they tied.

Both groups were going to New York for Nationals.

Which in all honesty, made no sense, but was anybody complaining? No. freaking. way.

The short version was several groups were disqualified, and some weird loophole allowed both schools to go to New York to compete.

Again, no complaints here, but that's a story for another time.

Which led back to Nick's original thought. He had forgotten to ask Kurt if he knew where Jeff was, which was just dumb on his part. Jeff had been very protective of Kurt, not as much as Blaine, but pretty damn close. That was something else that puzzled him. Lately, it felt like Jeff was hiding something from him. He'd lost count over the last couple of weeks where he'd walk into a room where the two of them would be talking and when he'd make his presence known, they got quiet or defensive.

It didn't bother him, not really. Jeff was with him and Kurt was, finally, officially with Blaine. That would probably be the only time he was happy about a dead bird. But what was so secret that Jeff could talk to Kurt about it and not to his boyfriend?

As Nick got closer to Kurt's room, he could hear them talking through the door, and realized this might be his chance to know why.

* * *

Jeff had his ear and a hand against Kurt's belly. Kurt was stroking his hair, watching the way Jeff's face lit up at feeling the baby kick and texting Neal on his phone. Robert James, or RJ as they were calling him, was born a few weeks ago to the delight of the whole family. He'd just gotten several new pictures of him and big sister Casey that Kurt happily showed to Jeff.

"They are so cute together. Casey's had the best luck so far calming him down when he gets really fussy."

"Older siblings are awesome like that. Brandon practically raised me; the seven year gap helped us out, I think. He was better than my parents. From what he tells me, I started calling him 'dada' first...had a hell of a time getting me to stop that."

"I can totally picture you being a little rebel child…are you feeling any better after what Dr. Phillips said?"

Jeff sighed, "A little bit. I'm still overwhelmed, I think."

Outside of the room, Nick stood shocked. _What happened at his appointment? Why did he take Kurt with him and not me? Is he alright?_

"How that hell am I gonna explain this to Nick? I feel like I've been keeping him out of the loop for a while now, and I don't want to lose him. What if he thinks the worst and doesn't let me explain?"

Kurt resumed stroking Jeff's hair. "First of all, you need to calm down. I've been telling you for weeks to talk to Nick. We can all tell that he's worried about you. Our secret meetings don't have to stop, but it's about time to let someone else join the club. If you want me in the room when you talk, I can do that, but you need to tell him."

"How do I do that? 'Oh hey, Nick, guess what? I'm more screwed up then we thought. Not only do I have shitty parents, but I just found out that they've been keeping a huge secret from me for years. Something that could ruin our relationship and make you leave me.' Yeah, that's a conversation I want to be around for."

_What the hell is he talking about? Is he dying or something? What is so horrible?_

Kurt sighed, "Sweetie, you know Nick better than that. You two have been together for a long time, right? I don't see him leaving you because of this. He loves you. I think not talking to him is hurting **both **of you, and it's not good."

When Nick could hear Jeff start to whimper, a sign of an oncoming panic attack, he decided that enough was enough. He straightened himself up and knocked on the door.

"Kurt? It's Nick, can I come in please? I need to talk to Jeff, and I know he's in there."

* * *

Once he heard it was Nick, Jeff was fully prepared to hide in the closet or under the bed. Kurt on the other hand, was not about to let him run. He grabbed for Jeff's arms to keep him in place and stared him down. He could tell that Jeff was doing all he could not to panic, but secretly, Kurt was hoping that Nick had been eavesdropping for at least the last bit of the conversation.

"You are not hiding in this room, Jeffrey. We are going to let Nick come in here and we are going to explain to him why you've been a bad boyfriend lately. He's not going to leave you, do you hear me?"

"But what if he does, Mama? I can't lose him. I love him."

Nick's heart was breaking a little bit at a time the longer he waited for the okay to enter. He could hear Jeff starting to cry, and after that last statement, decided that enough was enough. He was tired of waiting and couldn't stand to hear Jeff cry anymore.

He entered Kurt's room, shut the door, and faced the bed. "Can someone please tell me what's going on here?"

* * *

It didn't take a genius to see that getting Jeff to open up was going to be hard. And even though Kurt cared about Jeff's feelings, he knew he was going to have to get the ball rolling. He was usually a patient person, but Nick was his friend too, and he needed to know what was going on.

"This is your last chance, Jeff. If you don't start talking right now, I will. And you'll lose baby privileges for two weeks...starting _after_ break. So what's it gonna be?"

Jeff started to bite at his lip. He looked at Kurt's stern face, but couldn't ignore the pleading, caring look in his eyes. Then he looked at Nick and felt bad all over again. Here was his boyfriend, concerned and scared for him, and not judging him for not being around like he should. He looked back at Kurt one more time before asking Nick to grab the desk chair and move closer to the bed.

Nick by this point didn't know what was going to happen next. Besides the possible 'Jeff is dying' scenario, the only other thing was that they were breaking up and Jeff was going to hook up with Kurt, which would also result in Blaine being single. Somehow, that seemed less likely - you don't call a potential love interest 'mama', right?

Nick couldn't take it anymore. He sat right in front of the bed, grabbed Jeff's hand, and looked him in the eye.

"Jeff, what is going on? I'm not gonna lie and say I just showed up here. I heard some of your conversation. Why did you have to see Robin? What could your future sister-in-law do for you that I couldn't? Are you dying? Are you leaving me? Please tell me what's wrong."

Seeing the look of despair on Nick's face finally did it. He couldn't keep the tears back anymore, and knew he had to come clean.

"I've been feeling like crap the last month or so. I've been having trouble concentrating, sleeping - at least on my own. I talked to my brother and Robin offered to check me out at her office. She's a pediatrician, remember? I was afraid that there was something seriously wrong with me, and if it was bad, I wouldn't know how to tell you.

"Kurt overheard me make the appointment and volunteered to go with me. Robin took some blood and noticed that my levels were messed up again. I told her how I'd been feeling and she asked me if we've had sex yet. I told her that we hadn't gotten that far yet and she was relieved. Apparently if we ever do, we need to be careful."

"What does us having sex have to do with anything, Jeff? We would be careful anyway."

Jeff looked at Kurt again then turned back to Nick. "She said that I'm slightly anemic, though not as bad as Kurt. But that in addition to that, my screwed up hormone levels is causing the fatigue, sleeping problems, headaches. A little change in diet and some medications and I'll be in good shape."

Nick felt like he was still missing something. He saw the way Jeff was curled into Kurt, but still holding his hand. Then it was like a light bulb went off.

Hormone issues…asking about sex…

"Jeff...are you trying to tell me that you can get pregnant, too? Is that why you've been attached to Kurt?"

He got a hesitant nod in response.

"But otherwise, you're okay?" Another slow nod. "Okay then." Jeff put his head down, only to feel Nick lift his chin to give him a kiss. Jeff just stared in disbelief, while Kurt just sat back and smiled.

"But - you - what?" Jeff was rendered speechless. "You're not mad? Or breaking up with me?"

Nick just shook his head, "Why would I be breaking up with you? At least you found out something like this now and not as a surprise - no offense Kurt."

"Don't worry about it...I'm just glad we can clear the air about this. Jeff's been in a right state lately about it. He was convinced you were going to leave him."

"Jeff you listen to me: It's going to take a lot for me to leave you. I love you. Can I ask how you're able to get pregnant, and why it's never been noticed before? Should **I** get checked too, or Blaine for that matter? Cause in our group of guys, we're two for two for 'surprise' carriers. "

"Robin didn't really have a good explanation for it - "

Kurt just rolled his eyes, "She said he's a late bloomer. If you two ever get to the point to want kids, you're gonna have to work a little for it. Conceiving and delivering will be a challenge, but the whole pregnancy part is totally doable. Don't worry about any of that now. For now, Jeff can get back to his usually bouncy self, and you two can go back to making out in the library."

"You know about that…"

"Nick, all of the Warblers know…any other questions?"

"Yeah, one - what's with him," pointing at Jeff, "calling you" pointing at Kurt, "mama?"

Jeff groaned and buried his head in his hands, while Kurt just laughed. Nick had to smirk at how red Jeff's ears got when he was overly embarrassed about something. After a few minutes Jeff looked up and sighed.

"You know how I refer to my parents as 'mother and father'? And your parents as 'mom and dad'? Well, Kurt's like a parent most of the time, which seems to fit him rather well. While we were at the appointment, Robin offered to take a quick look at Kurt while we were there, and I got to hear the baby's heartbeat."

"Now I'm jealous."

"Don't worry; I recorded it on my phone. I'll play it for you later. Anyway…remember when we went to Lima last weekend and saw Neal, Matt and the kids? I was talking to Casey, and I asked her why she calls Neal 'mama' and not something like 'papa' or a more 'guy-like' title."

Nick raised an eyebrow at that, "You asked a four-year-old why she calls a parent a certain name? What did she say?"

"Hey, I think she's brilliant. She basically told me she knows that both of them are guys, but since babies come from mommies, that Neal was her 'mama' and Matt is 'daddy'. She's already trying to teach RJ to say it, and he's still learning how to pump his legs and focus on his surroundings. And since Kurt's in a similar position, I tried it out and it's stuck.

"And with everything going on with me lately, I needed a parent. Mine suck, yours have your brother and sister to worry about, and Kurt was here and doesn't seem to mind me calling him that, at least when it's just us. So, yeah...that's it."

Before anybody else could say anything, Kurt's phone went off. "It's Blaine. Hey Blaine...what's up?"

"Hey, is it safe to come up? We've got 20 minutes before they start throwing us out. Everything cool between Nick and Jeff?"

Kurt looked at the other two, "Yeah I think so. See you in a few minutes?"

"Yep, be right up." Kurt hung up and looked at the couple. "We've got to get going you two - spring break starts in 20 minutes. Everyone good?"

Jeff looked at Nick and responded, "Better than good. Thanks Mama." Kurt rolled his eyes before accepting a hug from Jeff. Nick joined in, as he didn't want to be left out. They didn't separate until they heard someone chuckling in the doorway.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

Blaine walked into the room and headed toward the bed. "Hey honey, ready to go?" He gave Kurt a kiss before looking at Nick and Jeff, "And are you two okay now?"

Nick answered Blaine with a smile and a nod, before tugging Jeff into his lap. "Did you know what was going on, Blaine?"

Blaine shook his head, "I kept myself out of it. I'm just glad to see you two acting like the sappy duo you should be. However, you'll have to continue the love fest later. We do need to head out soon."

"Aww...do we have to? I just got comfy," Jeff whined.

"Well, I can really make you comfy at home," Nick whispered.

"Uh - you two are gonna make me sick. Get out, grab Jeff's stuff and meet us downstairs." Kurt made a shooing motion with his hands. Nick and Jeff rolled their eyes, but complied.

"Fine we can tell when we're not wanted….bye Mama!" They just missed getting pelted with pillows.

"They are too much sometimes, but I love them anyway."

"I know you do. You ready to go?"

"Now that a major crisis has been averted - hell yes."

"Kurt! Don't curse in front of the baby. I'm pretty sure he or she can hear you by now."

"Saying 'hell' is not the same as saying the 'f' word, and besides, how do you know Baby will hear? Have you been looking stuff up again?"

"...maybe…"

"You're adorable. Come on, let's go home."


	8. Of Moms and Dads

**This chapter came out of nowhere. A plot bunny bit me and was not letting go, so this is the result. I had intended to post this by Mother's Day…it's a little late.**

**Thank you for getting me to 50 reviews! It's definitely a dream come true for me. Next stop: 75.**

**I'm dedicating this chapter to my mom, who actually read the first chapter of this story and told me it was cute. When I asked her what she thought of the rest (at the time, I only had three chapters) she didn't know how to get to the next chapter, but I think it's awesome that she at least tried.**

**So here's to you Mom, and to anyone that is, was, will be or acts as a mom. At work, I get called Mama or Mama Stephie, because I act like a mom, even to the women I work with that are my mom's age (I think that's why Jeff likes calling Kurt that) and I work with my sister, who is a pain in my ass, and I wouldn't know what I'd do without her.**

**Anyway…I still don't own anyone you recognize, otherwise they're mine. I don't know if anyone will notice or not, but the adults go to see _Bridesmaids _in this chapter. The movie actually came out the following week or so _after_ Mother's Day, so for the sake of the timeline, pretend it came out a little earlier. You should recognize some of the characters in this chapter from earlier in the story. Be prepared for some Furt, Kurt/Jeff love, and cute kids.**

****Takes place after _Mama Dalton_**

_**Of Moms and Dads**_

* * *

Finn never really got the chance to call anyone 'Dad'. He was too young when his real dad died, and though his mom tried, none of her boyfriends were really 'father material'. Sometimes he felt jealous of Kurt - he had someone he got to call Dad. Then he would remember that while Kurt had Burt, he didn't have a mom. Then he'd feel bad because he had a mom, and while having a 'Burt' was nice, having a 'Dad' just felt so much better.

But he couldn't do that to Kurt. It wasn't that big a deal...right?

* * *

Kurt had a chance to call someone 'Mom'. He was young when she died, and in the years that followed, his dad was never able to find someone else, not that he tried anyway. It took a long time before Kurt and his dad got accustomed to how their life had changed. Sometimes he was jealous of Finn - he had someone he got to call Mom. Then he would remember that while Finn had Carole, he didn't have a dad. Then he'd feel bad because he had a dad, and while having a 'Carole' was nice, having a 'Mom' would just feel so much better.

But he didn't want to do that to Finn. It wasn't that big a deal...right?

* * *

It was the first week of May and Kurt wasn't thrilled about it. Blaine, of course, had noticed; Nick and Jeff did too, but none of them could figure out what was wrong. It took a Warbler outing to the Lima Bean before they understood.

Mother's Day was next week.

Now Blaine and Jeff had more or less given up the holiday, though not for a lack of trying. Blaine's parents had basically disowned him, while Jeff was lucky if his parents remembered they had another son. For them, Mother's Day was used to give cards and candy to Nick's mom - the one mother they had always been able to rely on.

When some of the guys started talking about what they were doing for the holiday - some had bought cool gifts or had a date night planned - Kurt was subdued and stayed out of the conversation. He was the only one of their group that didn't have someone he referred to as 'mom'. At one point he excused himself to the restroom and when he returned, it was obvious that he was upset - at least to Blaine and Jeff - but he played it off, with none of the other guys any the wiser.

When they got back to school, Kurt slipped away, feigning fatigue, and locked himself in his room. He didn't have to fake it too much - he really was exhausted. He usually got depressed around this time of year, but it was years like this that just sucked more.

Elizabeth's birthday was May 8th...which was the same day as Mother's Day.

As if it wasn't bad enough that he couldn't do something special with his mother on Mother's Day, but for it to fall on her birthday - it was a double whammy that he didn't want to think about.

So he curled up on his bed and just zoned out. Though they tried to be sneaky about it, he had noticed the concerned looks on his boyfriend and Jeff's faces. He didn't want them to worry and reassured them that he just needed to be alone for a while, and that Blaine had the spare key so they could check on him. They seemed to understand and Jeff had told the baby to be good for Mama, while Blaine just gave both Kurt and the bump kisses and a promise to bring food back later.

It was during dinner that Blaine and Jeff came up with the idea of doing something for Mother's Day - for Kurt. Jeff had been calling Kurt 'Mama' for weeks and besides, he was the one having a baby soon, and who said you had to wait until the baby was out to celebrate?

* * *

The self-proclaimed Weasley twins knew they needed some help. All of the Warblers already had plans or were working on something, so they were out of the question, and even though they were friends with the New Directions by now, it felt weird to talk to any of them. So they went to the next available choice:

Finn.

Since they were still at school until the weekend, Blaine sent Finn a text to see if he'd be available to Skype later. Finn was worried until Blaine made it clear that Kurt was okay and it was going to be himself and Jeff talking to him. They just asked that Finn made sure Carole wasn't nearby when they spoke.

As promised, two hours later Blaine and Jeff were in front of a computer and explaining the situation to Finn. Blaine noticed that Finn looked a little out of it, similar to Kurt's current state.

"What's wrong Finn? You seem as depressed as Kurt was earlier."

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

"Bull. You've got that far-away look in your eyes too, so what gives?"

Finn bit his lip and explained, "I was thinking about Mother's Day earlier too, and I feel bad doing anything in front of Kurt. I don't wanna rub it in his face or anything, and after Da-Burt told me about why Kurt's been so down the last couple of days...I don't know what to do."

Blaine and Jeff heard the slip-up, but kept quiet for now. What they were interested in was what Finn knew.

"Think you could help us out then?" asked Blaine, "Kurt's been really quiet and he won't tell us why."

"Does Kurt ever talk about his mom?" Finn asked.

Jeff shook his head, "Not really, but we don't really push the subject if it ever does. He gets so sad about it."

"Burt told me that Elizabeth's birthday is May 8th, which is the same date as Mother's Day this year." Neither Blaine nor Jeff knew how to respond but Finn wasn't done talking yet. "This happened a few years ago, when both her birthday and the holiday shared a day. Kurt locked himself in Burt's room and just sat in the corner next to the dresser...spent the whole day like that. It's also been about ten years since she died. Add that to the fact he's pregnant…"

Jeff felt his heart break, "That's just not fair. No wonder he's avoiding the guys. Mother's Day is all that they're talking about right now."

All three boys were quiet for a few minutes, when Blaine had an idea. It was just a matter of whether or not he could persuade Finn.

"I have an idea on how to make Mother's Day work for everyone," Blaine said, "and if this goes well, Father's Day will be just as great."

"How did we get started on Father's Day? That's still a month away." Finn was glad that Jeff asked first.

"Don't get mad, Finn, but we heard your slip-up earlier. When you first mentioned Burt, you were going to say 'Dad', weren't you? What if I said you're not the only one thinking things like that?"

Finn looked surprised but anxious. "What are you talking about dude?"

Blaine looked at Jeff and Finn with a stern look on his face, "What I am about to say doesn't leave this room - is that clear?" After receiving nods from both, he continued. "I know you haven't had anyone to call dad in a long time, Finn, but you're not the only one that wants to be able to. I have two parents, but it always felt weird to call them mom and dad, simply because they never really acted like it; Cooper was more of a parent than either of them.

"Kurt and I were talking a week or so ago in my dorm, after he'd finished talking to Carole on the phone. He was just talking and said something like, 'and you wouldn't believe what Mom said' and he just stopped mid-sentence. He actually got up and left the room. I found him on his bed hugging his pillow to himself, just staring at the wall."

Finn was paying attention to everything Blaine said, and slowly, it was as if a light bulb went off. "He - he called her 'Mom'? Just like that?"

"I think he's been thinking of her like that for some time now, to be honest. Sometimes it seems like he has to remind himself that she's 'Carole' to him, not 'Mom'. I think he's afraid of the idea of replacing his mother, and I think he's afraid of your reaction."

"What should I do then? It doesn't bother me if he wants to call my mom, 'Mom'. She's even mentioned before that she doesn't want to replace Elizabeth, and Burt's told me the same about my dad. I was afraid to bring up the idea of calling his dad, 'Dad'. He's kinda protective of him, you know, and after what happened when our parents started dating...I don't want to hurt him again."

After that last comment, Jeff had to interject. "Hold up - what are you talking about? When did you hurt Kurt?"

Finn had a distraught look to his face, so Blaine explained. "When Burt and Carole first started going out, they took time to bond with the other's kid. Finn was never bothered because his mom and Kurt had plenty to talk about or things to do, most stuff he didn't care about. But for a little while, Burt and Finn were doing a lot of typical father-son things that Kurt and Burt never did together. And while Finn had experience with his parent dating, Kurt didn't. Burt never went out with anyone until Carole. And there were a few times when Burt, Carole, and Finn would make plans and figured since Kurt wouldn't want to join in, why ask him."

Jeff nodded slowly, "So basically Kurt felt out of the loop. His dad had finally found someone else to love."

"Not only that, but from Kurt's point of view, he'd also gained a _real_ son, one that was into sports, video games and straight," added Blaine.

"Kurt even had a 'straight' week during sophomore year. He dressed like his dad, sang music that didn't suit him, talked with his lower voice, and dated Brittany."

"He dated _Brittany_? Cute, blond, ditzy, cheerleader Brittany?" Jeff couldn't wrap his mind around it.

"Yeah," Finn said sheepishly, "we don't talk about it much. I had been so wrapped up spending time with Burt that we all missed Kurt's behavior. But true to our way of doing things, Kurt finally gave up trying so hard, and his dad found him singing his heart out in the auditorium. They talked and after a couple of days, everything was back to normal.

"_That's _why_ I'm_ afraid to even bring up the idea of parental titles - I don't know how he'll react."

"I really think you should give it a try and talk to him - he might surprise you. I can't think of a better gift to give Carole. She already considers the two of you her sons, just like Burt does. She'll be elated if Kurt starts calling her 'Mom'."

"But what about Burt? I don't want to wait until next month to start calling him Dad - that's not fair."

"What if you didn't have to?" Blaine and Finn had been going back and forth, forgetting that Jeff was still in the room.

"You have an idea," said Blaine.

"I do. Finn, are you free after school tomorrow?" Jeff asked.

Finn stared at Jeff, "Uh, yeah. I have a study hall last period, so I could leave early after my last class...why?"

"Can you drive over? I need all four of us in one room; this shouldn't be planned over a computer screen. It won't take too long, I promise."

"Four of us?"

"Kurt needs to be here too."

Finn agreed, but Blaine looked skeptical. "Just what are you planning, Jeff?"

"You'll find out tomorrow."

Blaine looked at Finn, who shrugged his shoulders, and told them he'd text when he was on the way. After Blaine shut down the computer, he stared at the blonde. "Whatever it is you're planning...is it going to blow up in our faces?"

"It's going to help - trust me, everyone will be one big happy family by the time the weekend is over."

"And what are we going to do about Wes?"

"Wes? Oh we have practice tomorrow."

"Yeah…"

"Crap…"

* * *

Blaine lost to Jeff in rock, paper, scissors, which meant he was the lucky one to talk to the council. He was going to have to tell them that not just one, but three of them needed to be excused from practice today. Just asking for himself was bad but having to ask for Jeff and Kurt too?

Telling Wes in particular that you can't make it to Warblers practice is never a good thing, especially this close to Nationals. However, it seemed that Wes did have one weakness at Dalton.

Kurt.

Once Blaine had explained the situation, and how they were planning to fix it, Wes conceded. He said that he had briefly spoken to Kurt earlier in the day about choreography, but Kurt had looked confused, as if he'd forgotten there was practice later. He also admitted to Blaine that everyone was worried about Kurt, and hearing that they were unknowingly making it worse, didn't help. Blaine assured him that if all went well, Kurt would be back to his normal self by the end of the weekend.

Just as Blaine left Wes's room, his phone beeped with a text from Finn, who said he was on his way. Blaine gave Jeff a heads up, since he was going to wait in the entrance hall for Finn. Blaine checked his mental list and realized the only thing left on it was Kurt. Both he and Jeff agreed that it would be best to talk in Kurt's room, so they wouldn't need to worry about any disruptions. Blaine just hoped that Kurt wouldn't get upset with them for doing this.

* * *

Blaine was running out of places to look for Kurt. He'd checked Kurt's dorm, Jeff's dorm, the library. He even poked his head into rehearsal, just to see if Kurt actually went. David was the only one to see Blaine, who didn't hesitate to mouth 'our room'. Blaine gave David a thumbs up and headed back to the dorms. Of course he would forget to check his own room.

Sure enough, Kurt was passed out on Blaine's bed. Blaine sat down on the edge of the bed, taking in the sight of his exhausted boyfriend. He didn't want to wake him up, but Finn was going to be here soon, and Blaine needed to get Kurt back to his room before he got there. Blaine rubbed Kurt's back and quietly spoke Kurt's name. It took a few minutes but Kurt moaned and attempted to bury his head further into the pillow before opening his eyes.

"Blaine? What's the matter?"

"Hey there sleeping beauty. I need you to wake up for me. There's something I have to talk to you about, but we need to go back to your room first."

"Um, okay." Blaine did feel a little bad about taking advantage of a half-asleep Kurt, but he promised himself to apologize later. Kurt was helped off the bed and didn't fully wake up until they walked into his dorm.

"Blaine, what's going on?" Kurt asked as he sat down on his bed.

"We need to talk, Kurt, and I thought we'd be more comfortable in here." Kurt's eyes widened and he started to panic. Blaine thought over what he just said and quickly sat next to Kurt, "No honey - I'm not breaking up with you! I didn't mean it to come out like that. I'm sorry! Oh god - Jeff is going to kill me." It was a few minutes before Kurt was able to calm down.

"Blaine, please, what is going on? And why would Jeff kill you?"

"Jeff is on his way here - he's part of the talk too - and so is Finn."

Kurt was beyond confused by this point. "Blaine, why are Finn and Jeff coming here for a talk? Are you trying to host an intervention or something? Nothing's wrong with me. I'm fine."

"Kurt, listen to me," Blaine knelt in front of Kurt and grabbed a hand to hold on to. "You may think you've been putting on a front, but this time around, it hasn't worked. Do you know where we're supposed to be right now? Warblers practice."

Kurt started shaking his head, "No, practice is tomorrow afternoon. We don't have practice until Thursday."

"Kurt, today's Thursday." Kurt was flabbergasted. "Honey, you're not fine, and it breaks my heart that you won't talk to me. I know, Kurt. Jeff and I called Finn last night, and he told us. Everyone is worried about you. That's part of the reason Finn is coming here to see you."

"What's the other part?"

"Jeff and I have come up with an idea that I think the two of you will agree with, but it isn't something to talk about over a computer screen. Just do us a favor and let us talk first. If you wanna yell at us after, you can." Kurt nodded, just as someone knocked on the door.

Blaine stood up and opened the door, letting Finn and Jeff walk in. Finn went right to Kurt, sat on the bed and pulled his brother into a hug. Jeff saw how distressed Kurt looked and started to have second thoughts. Blaine shook his head in response to the silent gesture.

"Kurt, what's wrong? These two called me up last night and told me how you've been acting this week. Our parents are worried about you; I'm worried about you, especially since I was expecting a call from **you** last night. Burt said you seemed off before you left on Sunday, and when he last talked to you, you didn't sound like yourself.

"Talk to me, Bro," Finn pleaded.

"Dad told you, didn't he? He knows why I've been so depressed this week."

"He told me what he thinks is wrong, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't been thinking about it too."

"You told them too, then?" Kurt asked, motioning toward the others.

"Only because I felt like I needed to."

Jeff and Blaine were watching the boys on the bed, waiting for a good time to step in. Kurt finally let a few tears fall as he began telling Finn how much the week had sucked. How excited the other Warblers were about Mother's Day, plans they were making, gifts they'd bought. How he'd been feeling depressed and withdrawn when he realized the significance of this year's date. How he didn't want to be a burden on anyone because he was a little upset. How he didn't realize that it was Thursday, and he was missing practice - Kurt hadn't missed one, even when he'd been sick and useless, he had still attended. Finn just rubbed circles on Kurt's back and just let him talk.

"And to top it off, I feel like I'm forgetting my mom. I was talking to Blaine a while ago, after I had been chatting with Carole, and I said I'd been talking to Mom. I freaked out and locked myself in here. I know it's been almost ten years, but what would my mother say if she heard me calling someone else 'Mom'?"

After Kurt finished talking, the room grew quiet. Blaine wasn't sure if they should step in or not. Luckily for them, Finn stepped up and took over the conversation.

"Kurt, your mom wouldn't want you to be so upset about this. Just because you want to give someone else a special title like that, doesn't mean you're replacing your mom - she got that privilege first, and she'll always have that. You're just giving someone else the chance to have it. It's not something you'd do lightly." Finn looked at Jeff for a second and got a nod in response.

"Is it bad that Jeff calls Nick's mom, 'Mom'? I mean, he has a mother and she's not dead."

Kurt's head shook, "Of course not. His mother hasn't done anything to deserve to be called 'Mom'. She nearly killed him once with cookies! Nick's mom is fantastic, and is more of a mom than Jeff's mother would ever be. Oh." Kurt's jaw dropped a little bit.

Bingo.

"See what I'm getting at Kurt? If there's nothing wrong with Jeff borrowing Nick's mom, then why is it wrong to borrow mine? I haven't brought up Mother's Day in front of you because I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but trust me, if you wanna share my mom, it's okay. She'd be ecstatic to be called that, and whenever anyone asks, she makes it known she has two sons, not just one son and a step-son."

"But it's not fair, Finn." Kurt got three looks of disbelief. "No, I mean, it's not fair that I do that and not extend the same courtesy to you. I know you see Dad as your dad too, and I've heard you slip once or twice myself. I was afraid to bring it up because I didn't want to make it seem like I wanted my dad to replace yours. And I know Dad is the same way about us. I don't want you to have to wait until Father's Day to make it official."

"So we were both being stupid?" Finn asked.

"How about 'not thinking clearly'? That sounds a little nicer. I don't consider either of us as stupid." The brothers turned around when they heard sniffles coming from the other side of the room.

"You two are so awesome for each other!" Jeff exclaimed. Blaine awkwardly patted Jeff on the back. "Um, Jeff, why are you getting so upset?" he asked.

"It's like they don't even need our master plan." Blaine rolled his eyes and handed him a tissue. Kurt and Finn looked at Jeff before switching to Blaine.

"Dude, what's he talking about?" Finn asked.

"Remember that idea we mentioned last night? Allow me to fill you in."

* * *

Finn stuck around for dinner before making his way back home. Kurt promised he'd be home as soon as possible the following day. He also tried to apologize for skipping out on practice, but Wes waved him off and offered apologies of his own and on behalf of the rest of the group. They didn't realize they were making a bad week worse for Kurt, and they were glad to see that Kurt was, if not all better, at least a little happier than several hours earlier.

Friday flew by quicker than any of them expected, and the next thing they knew, Blaine and Kurt were pulling into the driveway, behind Finn's truck, where they heard some cursing coming from under the hood. The couple looked at each other and wondered what could possibly be wrong with the old truck now.

"Finn? What the hell is wrong with this thing now?"

"Oh hey, Kurt, Blaine. I'm trying to tighten some screws - I had to change the battery - but my hands are too big and I couldn't find the longer screwdriver, and now I'm just getting pissed off."

Kurt rolled his eyes and asked Blaine to get the stepstool from the garage. Finn was about to chuck the screwdriver, when it was grabbed out of his hand. He jumped back in surprise, as Kurt was all of a sudden as tall as Finn.

"Dude! Give a guy some warning!"

"Well _dude_, maybe you need to be more aware of your surroundings." Blaine was supporting Kurt from behind and laughed at Finn's facial expression. Finn was still staring as Kurt continued, "And how many times have I told you to wait when you have to do things like this? I'm more than happy to help out."

"I didn't know what time you were getting in and the car was dead. That, and I didn't want you to hurt yourself, or feel bad if you couldn't reach." Finn thought over what he just said and held his breath, hoping that Kurt wouldn't take it the wrong way. Of course, Finn forgot that he was talking to Kurt who was seven months pregnant, not stupid.

"Was that your way of saying I'm fat, Finn Hudson? Because I could do a lot of damage right now to your truck, or just slap you."

Finn actually whimpered a little bit, "Please don't. I didn't mean it like that. I just know that the baby hurts your back and I didn't want you to hurt more bending over this hunk of junk." Kurt seemed to realize that Finn meant well and reminded himself that it was _Finn_, and sometimes he wasn't the most articulate person around. Kurt sighed and apologized.

"I'm sorry Finn. I've been in a bitchy mood for most of the day. Ask Blaine - I actually almost made Beatz cry, and he was just asking me a question about a project." Finn said it was nothing, and a few minutes later, the hood was closed and the boys made their way into the house.

"Is everything set for tomorrow Finn?" Blaine asked, as he moved into the kitchen.

"Yeah. Kevin said he'd make sure Burt's out of the shop on time, and Matt said he'd make sure Mom wouldn't be called in. Matt also said that Casey and Megan have no problem keeping Mom busy for a couple of hours, which will leave us time to get dinner situated. You're still cooking, right?" Finn asked Kurt.

"Yes I am, though I do need to go grocery shopping in the morning. I'm impressed Finn - I knew you could handle it."

Finn smiled, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bro."

"In the meantime, I think somebody deserves a treat, and I have a craving for chocolate."

Finn looked hopeful, watching Kurt smile as he walked into the kitchen. "I'm pretty sure I've got what I need for brownies." Kurt wasn't surprised to hear a very loud 'YES' from the living room. He laughed at Blaine, who was startled at Finn's reaction, and spilled juice all over the counter.

"What the hell was that?" gasped Blaine.

"That was Finn's reaction to my promise of brownies in his immediate future."

"I LOVE your brownies...can we put chocolate chips in them too?" Blaine was borderline begging.

"Sure we can. If you want to help, I'll even let you lick the spoon." Kurt smiled as Blaine let out a small yell of his own.

* * *

Unlike most Fridays, tonight was going to be a little different. Instead of having their usual family night dinner, the adults were going to the movies, leaving the kids home with the teenagers. Matt and Neal had asked Carole if she and Burt wanted to join them, Megan, and her boyfriend for a date night, of sorts. Kurt had offered his, Blaine's and Finn's babysitting services for the night, hoping they'd say yes. The boys loved playing with them. The only problem was that Burt had also received an invite from Kevin and Laura to go see some movie. As it turned out, they were all interested in the same one.

Some comedy thing called _Bridesmaids_.

So of course Kurt came up with an awesome idea, after checking with Blaine and Finn. They offered to watch Casey, RJ, and Kaylen, Kevin and Laura's daughter, while all the adults went out. Initially, Neal, Megan, Laura, and Carole were hesitant - RJ was only three months old and Kaylen was almost eight months. After reassurances from Burt and Kevin, who knew about Kurt's amazing babysitting track record and once they threw in that the moms could consider it a Mother's Day gift, they eventually caved and said yes.

So that began a long, but eventful night. The adults were encouraged to make the most of it, so they went to dinner before the movie. Kurt took over once they'd left to set out some ground rules and jobs. Blaine was assigned the important task of making food for everyone. Casey was told to go easy on Blaine and Finn, since they weren't as experienced as he was in regards to babysitting, and that her bedtime was non-negotiable.

Finn was instructed by Kurt that under no circumstance was he to deal with either of the babies if he felt uncomfortable or lost, and that while his height scared the girls at first, he needed to remember to smile and not be afraid of lying on the floor with them, especially since Kurt and the floor were not the best of friends. Finn was a natural with kids, but he lacked the confidence. If he planned on spending time with his niece, he needed the practice.

Blaine had made pizza for himself and Finn, chicken nuggets for Kurt and Casey, and had made bottles for RJ and Kaylen. Everyone settled in the living room to watch a movie. As the night wore on, Blaine helped Casey make Mother's Day cards, while Kurt quizzed Finn about the proper technique needed to change both boy's and girl's diapers. If the baby classes could count as a school elective, Finn would be at the head of the class. Blaine volunteered to get Casey into her pajamas, which left Finn and Kurt with the babies in the living room.

"Hey Finn, can I ask you something?"

"Sure - what's up?"

"Can we include Blaine in the master plan tomorrow?"

Finn looked at Kurt, confused. "I thought he was included."

Kurt sighed and repositioned RJ in his arms, "Blaine said he was going to make himself scarce while we talked to our parents. I don't know how you feel about it, which is why I'm asking, but would it be alright if our agreement could extend to him as well? He doesn't really have parents anymore, and even though Nick's mom does a great job, Blaine just doesn't want to get in the way of him and Jeff. And considering he lives here too…"

"If it doesn't bother you, it doesn't bother me. He's like another brother to me anyway. And you're right - since he lives here, he has just as much of a right to have Mom and Dad, too."

The brothers shared a small smile and decided to talk to Blaine in the morning about it. They ended the conversation as they saw Blaine come down the stairs with a sleepy four-year-old.

When the adults came home a couple hours later, it was to a quiet house, which was not what they were expecting. Burt had been the first to walk into the living room and quickly shushed the others as they followed him in. Finn was on the floor with Casey using him like an oversized teddy bear; Blaine was on the couch with Kaylen snuggled on top of him; and Kurt was in the recliner, holding RJ snugly against his chest.

All six of them were asleep.

Burt and Kevin had seen Kurt with kids before, so it wasn't that surprising to them. Everyone else was flabbergasted, and impressed. No one wanted to ruin the peace, but it was getting late and time to go home. Megan and Carole got the babies' things separated into their respective bags, while Matt, Neal, and Laura working on untangling Casey, RJ, and Kaylen from Finn, Kurt, and Blaine. Kevin and Burt cleaned up what little mess there was.

After the rest of the group had left, Carole and Burt still had to get the boys upstairs. Carole was able to get Finn off of the floor, while Blaine and Kurt were shaken awake by Burt. They all slowly made their way up the stairs. It didn't take long for them to fall back to sleep.

* * *

When Kurt woke up the following morning, he had to stop and think how he made it into bed last night. Blaine was still passed out next to him, though he was moving around and showing signs of waking up. His jaw dropped when he sat up and looked at his alarm clock. It was already after ten. Kurt was amazed at how hard he'd slept. It had certainly been a while since he'd managed that.

He reached over and started to shake Blaine awake. "Blaine, wake up. It's already after ten. We have things to do."

Blaine groaned into his pillow and muttered, "Five more minutes." Kurt rolled his eyes and gave up for the moment. He grabbed a change of clothes and went to take a shower, hoping that his boyfriend would be more helpful once he got out.

Blaine was up by the time Kurt finished in the bathroom, so they swapped places. Kurt told Blaine to come downstairs when he was ready; he still needed to wake up Finn. Kurt heard noises coming from the kitchen so he bypassed Finn's room and went down to see who it was. Finn was sitting at the table with a cup of hot chocolate.

"Morning Kurt. Water's still hot."

"Thanks Finn." Kurt grabbed two mugs from the cabinet and proceeded to make hot tea for himself and hot chocolate for when Blaine came down. "Parents gone?"

"Yeah. Have you spoken to Blaine yet?"

"No. I was hoping we could do that when he comes down here. I wasn't sure how to start talking to Blaine about it."

"Talk to me about what?" Finn jumped again, not hearing Blaine come down the steps. Kurt smirked and met Blaine with a kiss, while Finn muttered about his 'brothers and their damn ninja skills.'

"It's nothing bad, I promise. Finn and I wanted to talk to you about tonight. We want you to stick around for dinner; you don't have to leave."

Blaine looked at the two of them, "I thought the whole point of tonight was so you can talk to your parents."

"It is, but we think you think you don't count too. We want you included."

Finn held up his hand when he saw Blaine about to protest. "Dude, I see you as another brother. You've been living here for a few months, and it's like we've been doing it for so much longer. Both of our parents like you and think you're awesome. So we wanted to let you know it's cool with us if you wanna have a mom and a dad again."

Blaine couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kurt saw the panic on his face and grabbed one of his hands. "We're not going to force you to do one thing or the other. Do whatever feels comfortable with you. They can stay Burt and Carole to you if you want, and you can forget this conversation ever happened. You may have been watching me for the last week, but don't think I haven't been watching your face when the guys were talking the other day. I know we have different 'mommy issues', but it doesn't have to stay that way.

"We would love for you to have a mom and dad again too, and you know they won't ever leave you hanging out to dry. All we're asking is for you to at least consider the idea."

"Hey, you could use it for practice. With the way the two of you are, we'll be your in-laws in the future anyway." Finn continued eating his cereal, missing the blushes both Kurt and Blaine were trying to deal with.

* * *

When Kevin kicked Burt out of the shop to get cleaned up for his date, Burt almost panicked. He didn't remember planning a date with Carole. Kevin rolled his eyes and told him to go home and ask the boys; he'd lock up. Burt went home confused and slightly anxious, but knew if it was something to worry about, one of them would have at least texted him. He could tell as soon as he walked in the door that Kurt was cooking. Not just by the awesome smell, but by Kurt's threats to chop of Finn's fingers.

"Finn, go eat a brownie, and so help me, if they are all gone already."

"I didn't eat them all yet! But this looks so good. OW!" Finn rubbed his hand, having earned a light smack from Kurt's spoon. Kurt gave him a look while Blaine laughed from his spot at the table.

"It's not funny Blaine - that hurts!"

"Should've listened to him when he said either sit down or go away. This is what I like to call 'picking your battles'."

Burt couldn't resist commenting, "Actually, I'd call it 'self-preservation'." The boys saw Burt and said hello, and Burt looked at Finn and said, "Number one rule when around Kurt cooking: Just get out of the way. Although I have to admit, it has gotten worse lately. No offense, Kurt."

Kurt rolled his eyes at his father, "Blame the hormones if it makes you feel better. You should all know by now that if you still have problems heating up pasta, or if you still want baked goods, stay out of my kitchen. I think Blaine's learned the quickest out of you three, and he can at least make chicken noodle soup. Homemade, Finn, not out of a can."

Finn sat down at the table and sulked, while Burt laughed as he made his way up the stairs. "Oh by the way, Carole called as I was leaving the shop. She's on her way home too."

"Thanks, Dad."

Carole walked in ten minutes later with a bag or two of her own, having just dropped off Casey and Megan home. When she saw the boys in the kitchen she smiled, then laughed at the pout on her son's face.

"Kurt what did you do to Finn? He only pouts like that if you were the cause of it."

"He was in the way -"

"I was just trying to help -"

As they bickered, Carole looked at Blaine for an answer. "Finn was trying to sneak a taste and Kurt got him with the spoon on his hand. Granted, it was more of a warning tap." Carole rolled her eyes and shook her head, leaving Blaine to break up the brothers as she went upstairs. She found Burt in the bedroom, fresh out of the shower.

"Carole, were we supposed to have a date night? Kevin kicked me out of the shop and told me to go home."

"I think the boys are treating us to dinner; the table is set for five. They've been sneaky for a few days now. Maybe they need to talk about something."

* * *

Dinner had gone well, the dishes were taken care of, and the five of them were sitting at the table enjoying dessert. Finn eventually locked eyes with Kurt and gave him the go ahead sign. Kurt sighed and spoke up to get everyone's attention.

"We want to talk to you two about something, if that's okay." Carole gave a 'told you so' look at Burt, before telling Kurt to go ahead.

"I know I haven't been myself this week and for that I apologize. It's not a good week for me, but I don't think it will be like this next time. I have had a hard time with Mother's Day because I still miss my mom and I don't have one that's around. But this year is different, because I have you, Carole. You've been more than just a step-mom to me, and I've already talked to Finn about it and I wanted to ask you if it was okay if I could call you Mom, too."

Burt was floored. He had no idea that Kurt had even been thinking about doing that. Before she could answer, Finn spoke up.

"Kurt and I weren't talking much this week because of Mother's Day. We didn't want to hurt each other's feelings, but we talked about it and we thought since we're brothers now, why can't we call both of you our parents? I didn't have my dad as long as Kurt had his mom, but I'd like the chance to be able to call you Dad, Burt, if that's cool with you."

Carole didn't bother hiding her tears and got up to pull Finn into a tight hug, before she did the same to Kurt. She was so happy and proud at how grown up they were acting. It was nice to see them being so supportive of each other. Burt, meanwhile, was watching Blaine. It looked like he also had something he wanted to say, but was keeping his mouth shut.

"You alright kid? You're usually not so quiet."

"I'm fine, just thinking." Burt shot Carole a quick look and her responding smile was good enough. She distracted Kurt and Finn, so Burt could talk to Blaine.

"You know, Blaine, if you wanted to do the same as Kurt and Finn, you can. I'm sure you've already gotten a talking to from Kurt," he got a nod in response, "and probably Finn too. I'll tell you the same thing I told Kurt a while ago. You matter, Blaine. To us, to your friends, to your brother. I know you've had it rough with your parents, and from my point of view, they stopped being your mom and dad years ago. Just know that Carole and I will always be here for you, and if you ever feel up to calling us 'Mom and Dad' then that's great. If not, that's okay too. No pressure."

"Although I have to admit, showing pictures of you three would be so much easier." Carole got four looks in return. "What?"

Burt asked first, "Carole, what are you talking about?"

"I have pictures of us that I show off. It would be so much easier to say 'these are my sons' instead of 'this is my son, stepson, and his boyfriend' - although either way, it's fun breaking young girls' hearts."

Burt laughed while the boys just looked at each other. Finn spoke up for all of them, "Mom, no offense, but what the hell are you talking about?"

Carole rolled her eyes. "Pediatrics isn't only for little kids - teenagers are allowed too. Sometimes, they need a little pick-me-up, so the nurses and I take turns showing off our kids when we're not trying to keep up with the current teen heartthrobs. All three of you get plenty of compliments. The most consistent ones are how tall and cute Finn is; how short and adorable Blaine is; and how pretty Kurt is. I wait until they're discharged to tell them that you're all taken. Can't have them moping on my shift."

Kurt and Blaine thought the whole thing was hilarious, but Finn didn't know what to say. Then he started freaking out, asking what pictures she's using to show to strangers. Blaine looked at Kurt, before turning back to Burt.

"Would it be okay if I take a rain check? Don't get me wrong - I'm grateful for everything both of you have done for me, but it still would feel a little weird for me to call you 'dad'. I sometimes still have to remind myself not to call you Mr. Hummel, but I appreciate the fact you're not opposed to the idea."

"That's understandable, and I appreciate the honesty. If you want to wait until we're in-laws, that's fine too." Kurt had been listening and almost fell out of his chair from laughing so hard. Burt didn't think it was _that_ funny until Blaine told him that Finn said almost the same thing earlier in the day. Burt said he wouldn't mind being Blaine's father-in-law, as long as it wasn't happening any time soon. He was still getting used to the idea of being a grandfather.

Not to be left out, Blaine was hugged by a tearful Carole, who told him he was her son, regardless of what he called her.

* * *

When Kurt woke up the next morning, it took a few moments before it dawned on him that today was officially Mother's Day. He also noticed that he wasn't as warm as he usually was, which meant one of two things: Blaine had just woken up or someone else was in bed with him. Of course if it was the latter, then who the hell was in bed with him?

"Happy Mother's Day Mama...I know you're awake."

Only one person called him Mama on a nearly daily basis, "Jeff?" Kurt opened his eyes to see a familiar grinning blond next to him. "Not to be rude, but what are you doing here, in my bedroom, this early in the morning?"

Jeff smirked, "Blaine snuck me in here ten minutes ago. He said you'd probably notice that it wasn't him in bed with you soon enough. As for it being early - I didn't realize that 9:30 was really early." Kurt thought he was joking until he glanced at his alarm clock. Sure enough, it was a little past nine-thirty; he hadn't slept in that like that for a long time. He sat up and decided that before he questioned his 'son'; he needed to visit the bathroom and wake up a little bit.

"Don't move from this spot, Jeff, or else. I'll be right back." As soon as Kurt closed the door, Jeff bolted from the bedroom and ran down the stairs. Burt, Finn, and Blaine were making breakfast while Carole watched and drank some tea. She saw Jeff first and smiled before asking if Kurt was awake.

"He's in the bathroom... I'm kinda freaking out now."

"Dude, chill. Why are you freaking out?" asked Finn.

"Yeah, you've been excited about this for the last few days," said Blaine.

"He told me not to move or else. I couldn't tell if he was mad or not that I was in his room."

Blaine rolled his eyes and walked up to Jeff. He turned him around and gave him a gentle push. "Go back up there and keep him occupied. I will let you know when breakfast is ready. Trust me, he's more than likely not mad, just curious as to why you're here. Can you handle that?" Jeff nodded and made his way back upstairs. Apparently he took too long, because Kurt was standing in the doorway, tapping his foot.

He at least had the nerve to look abashed, "Hey Mama, you were quick in there."

"Jeffrey, would you like to tell me what you're_ really_ doing here? I thought you were helping Nick and his siblings spoil their mom."

Jeff gestured for Kurt to sit down on the bed again. Jeff waited for Kurt to get comfortable. Then Jeff got back on the bed and tucked himself against Kurt's side, hugging the baby bump. Kurt sighed and started to cart his hands through Jeff's hair, feeling the baby kick at Jeff's hand, and enjoying the smile on his face.

"Wanna start talking now? I'm not going to yell or get mad; I'm just confused here. Help me out."

Jeff snuggled closer, "I didn't want to get in the way at Nick's house. I know Brenda doesn't mind having me around, but it still feels weird that my mom doesn't care. I haven't celebrated Mother's Day properly since elementary school. The last year I tried, I made a card for her and she barely looked at it. I gave up after that. Brenda's been a pseudo-mom for a few years now, but even though I help Nick, Kim, and Tommy get something together, it's not the same.

"So when Blaine and I were talking the other night, I thought about it and I wanted to do something for you. You've been more of a parent to me than mine have - and you let me get away with calling you Mama."

"I don't _let_ you get away with it. It doesn't bother me. Sure, I may gripe about it sometimes, but it's amazing that you think so highly of me. I never expected to have a son that was the same age as me." Jeff laughed. "But I always wondered: why 'mama'? I know you explained getting it from Casey, but any other reason?"

"I wasn't allowed to call _her_ that. When I was little it was okay because that's expected, but once I turned five, it was like a curse word. I still never found out why. After that, I had to refer to her as 'Mother' - something about 'mom' being a low-class term. My brother Ben never understood it either. He said that she did the same thing to him; he doesn't care much for her either. The only reason she tolerates him is because he's straight. Both of our parents said that they're only obligated to take care of us until we're eighteen and out of high school, so unless I know what I'm doing after school next year, I'm screwed."

"You're not screwed. Your brother takes care of you the same way Cooper takes care of Blaine. That's what big brothers do. Remember Nick, your boyfriend? He's not gonna just leave you hanging either. And **I'm** sure as hell not going to leave you out to dry either. Like it or not, you're stuck with me."

Jeff relaxed after Kurt said that. Of course he knew he wasn't alone, but he couldn't help feeling that way sometimes. "Thanks, Kurt. You don't know what that means to me, to know that I have people to rely on; sometimes I forget. Can I tell you something?" Kurt nodded. "Even though it took a bad situation for us to meet, I'm glad we did. You and Nick and all the guys at school are my family, and I'm so grateful for it."

Kurt gave Jeff another squeeze, "Me too, but let me tell you something I heard a long time ago. You don't have to be related to someone in order to call them family. Sometimes, the best family you can get are the ones that you meet later on in life. People that show you they care and want the best for you - that's what a family is. I know our family consists of mostly teenagers, a few kids, and some adults - "

"And a baby," Jeff chimed in.

Kurt rolled his eyes, "And the baby, but who cares? I for one am very proud of our functional/dysfunctional band of misfits. And you know something? I wouldn't have it any other way."

Jeff agreed, "Me either."

"Ditto." Kurt and Jeff looked up to see Blaine leaning in the doorway. Kurt raised an eyebrow in response to the smirk on Blaine's face. "Well, good morning. To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?" Jeff snorted and almost fell onto the floor. Blaine just rolled his eyes as he sat on the edge of the bed. He gave Kurt a quick kiss as he waited for Jeff to regain control of himself.

"I am here to escort my lovely boyfriend downstairs for breakfast. I made pancakes just the way you like them. And there may be a present or two waiting for you as well."

"Oh, you know me so well. Let's go Jeff - Blaine's pancakes await." Jeff got out of the way so Kurt could get up. The trio made their way to the kitchen where, as promised, breakfast was waiting. As Kurt walked in and said good morning to Finn, Burt and Carole, Blaine held back Jeff for a second.

"I hope you were listening when Kurt was talking earlier: none of us are going anywhere. If you need us, you know where to find us. You've been a great friend to me, Jeff, and I don't want to lose you. Understood?"

Jeff smirked as Blaine pulled him into a hug, "Yes sir. Hey!" Blaine gave him a light smack on the head. "I'm telling."

"You wouldn't." Jeff smirked before he ran towards the kitchen. "Mama, Blaine hit me!" Blaine's smirk fell a little, for fear of Kurt retaliating, but lit up as he realized Kurt was closer than he thought. Kurt had been waiting at the bottom of the stairs and had seen the whole interaction between the pair. Jeff deflated some when he also realized the same thing.

Kurt just looked at Jeff, "You said something sweetie? I believe that was a 'love tap'. You get them when you sass your parents, especially when one of them is craving pancakes and waiting impatiently for the rest of the family to get their asses to the table." Jeff pouted while Blaine took his turn at laughing.

"Now, are we done playing for now?" Blaine and Jeff nodded in agreement. "Good. Then move it! And so help me if Finn's eaten any of my pancakes. If he has, I'm taking yours." Blaine and Jeff stared at Kurt before turning to each other:

Never try to out-sass a master, especially while pregnant. Otherwise, you'll never get pancakes.


	9. Nationals

**Alrighty then – hi everybody! Welcome back to another installment. Today's chapter doesn't need much of an introduction (it's pretty self-explanatory) so this won't take long.**

**There are several songs mentioned here that, I sadly, do not own. I included the lyrics to **_Somewhere Only We Know__**,**_** as well as **_I Want You Back__** and **__Misery_**. I thought it was more important for the last two because I wanted to combine them together (that's from listening to my ipod on repeat) so it's easy to distinguish which song is which.**

**I made up some more characters, but don't worry too much about remembering who they are. (There is one exception to that, and when you see her, you'll know she's not one of mine) When I re-watched the Warblers performing in season 2, I counted ~16 of them on stage during one of the competitions, and I didn't want to make it seem like there was only the core ones that we **_**know**_** have names. *In regards to the room assignments...it just kinda worked out that way. It's easier to just go with it and not think too much about it.**

**There's some travel info that's mentioned, and I spent time trying to make it seem accurate. If there are any Ohio-people out there that read it and know it's ridiculously wrong, let me know and I'll fix it.**

**That should be it…oh yeah – this takes place after 'Of Moms and Dads'. Enjoy and don't be afraid to review ;-)**

* * *

Nationals.

Nationals in New York.

Nationals in New York in less than two weeks.

Nationals in New York in less than two weeks, and they were going.

Even though they had been practicing and preparing since finding out they were going to Nationals, the Warblers were still having a hard time wrapping their heads around it. It had been a long time since Dalton had made it this far during the competition season. Everyone was excited and anxious in their own ways. Some were stress baking, some were stress eating, and some were too worried to eat.

All in all, the Warblers were a mess, although Wes made a point to say they were an organized, upstanding mess.

They had no idea that they were about to be given some bad news.

* * *

Professor Dippet thought the letter was a prank, a horrible practical joke. He called the contact information at the bottom, just to check if it was real. He was disappointed to find out that it was a legitimate notice from the National Show Choir Committee. He couldn't believe that, with just days to go, they would have to pull out of the competition. They had done everything right, and the boys had worked so hard this year.

How was he going to tell them that they couldn't go to New York, because of a stupid rule? Just because one group decided to act like idiots last year, several schools had already been forced to pull out of this year's competition. He'd already looked into the rule book that had been included with the letter, and he couldn't find a way to make sure the Warblers would be able to compete.

He was hopeful that maybe the boys could find the answer to their dilemma, but first he had to tell them what was going on, and he was not looking forward to it.

He looked at the clock and realized that the Warblers would be meeting about now to rehearse. _Well, _he thought, _no time like the present._ He grabbed the book and the letter off of his desk and made his way to the Warblers Hall.

* * *

"No, Rich, you're doing it wrong."

"I'm doing the same thing as you Drew. Maybe you should be paying attention to Nathan and Tim - they're goofing worse than Nick and Jeff, and _that's_ saying something."

"Hey! We resemble that remark."

"That's not helpful, Jeff."

"Maybe we should take five, Wes. I think everyone is starting to lose it."

"David, we cannot afford to take a break."

"Can I make a suggestion?" Wes stopped rubbing his temples to focus on his countertenor.

"What's that Kurt?" asked David.

"If Wes can't agree to a proper break, how about you let them goof off to a Top 40 song? Loosen them up a bit?"

"I have a suggestion -" Blaine was interrupted with a look from his boyfriend.

"No Katy Perry Blaine." Blaine just pouted while the boys nearby laughed. "That's not gonna work on me. If you have to, do a Pink song." Blaine brightened up a little at that. "You'll join in too, right?"

"From over here, I might. I need to sit down for a few minutes." At the look of concern on Blaine's face, Kurt was quick to point out, "Calm down, I'm fine. I just need to sit down before I fall down. I'll be good to go in a bit. Go on, start jumping on the furniture or something," he added, complete with a shooing motion to get Blaine started.

Kurt rolled his eyes as he watched Blaine engage the rest of the group into singing Pink's _So What_. He figured he had at least four minutes to just sit back and relax. His back was bothering him and it was slowing him down. He knew some of them had to have noticed by now that dancing was becoming a problem, but he wasn't going to let his pregnancy get in the way of them possibly winning a Nationals trophy.

He smiled as he watched the group settle into their freestyle pattern and was glad to see that this 'break' was working in their favor. Everyone was getting back into sync with one another, and their voices were melding together without any problems. Kurt was so focused on watching the others, he didn't notice a new addition to the room.

"If this isn't on your set list, you should add it." Kurt jumped at the voice and had to calm his racing heart at the sight of their headmaster.

"Oh, hi Professor Dippet, you startled me. They needed a break and messing around with a fun song helps get them back into a groove. I'm just taking advantage of the couch while they're jumping around. What brings you down here?"

"I need to speak to you boys about something that's come to my attention." Kurt saw the uneasiness in his face and started to worry.

"What's wrong?" The headmaster seemed reluctant, but handed the dreaded letter to Kurt, and watched as his jaw dropped and a frown came on his face, unaware that the boys had finished singing and had noticed the look of fury on Kurt's face.

"Please tell me this is someone's idea of a sick joke, Professor."

"I wish I could." Blaine and Jeff saw how pissed off Kurt looked and immediately came over to see what the problem was, Wes, David and Thad following behind them.

Wes asked what was going on, and without a word, Kurt passed him the letter, unable to form a coherent response. Or at least one in English. By this point the rest of the Warblers had noticed that something wasn't right and had taken seats on chairs and the floor, waiting to hear what was going on. Wes gave the letter to David, who read it with Thad and Blaine overlooking his shoulder. They didn't know what to say.

"Boys, I need your attention for a moment. I have some bad news for you all." Dippet took a deep breath before speaking again. "I received this letter in the mail today from the National Show Choir Committee. I didn't believe it myself, thinking it was a prank. However, I contacted the proper people and it's all legit. The Warblers may not be going to Nationals, due to a rule that I, and several other schools across the country, were unaware of.

"Due to an issue with a group last year, choirs that do not have an official faculty member that runs or advises the club, or that functions as we do with a council, cannot go to New York." There was an immediate uproar as he finished that statement. Some were silent in shock, while others were quite a bit more vocal. It took a few minutes to regain order, but it was a question by Nick that shut them up.

"What the hell happened last year that is basically disqualifying schools left and right that did nothing wrong?"

"A show choir that works with a council like we do, got a little out of hand. Apparently whatever school it was, didn't even send an adult as a chaperone - just a recent graduate. They were on their own and felt that they were old enough to do what they wanted, which included trashing the hotel room. So in order to prevent that from happening, all schools have to report by the end of the week with information on chaperones, and there is a list of qualifications that must be met. From my understanding four schools have already pulled out, with us and two others up in the air."

"But what's the problem then? There's gotta be a teacher here that can go with us, right?" asked Trent.

This was the question Professor Dippet was dreading to answer. "Due to finals week and the end-of-year athletic events, there aren't any faculty members available. I'm trying to see if we can free up someone, but it's too late to make changes to accommodate someone to go with you out of state. I myself, have to attend a seminar that only accepts a 'you're on your deathbed' excuse, so even I'm unavailable. Unless we can figure something out…they sent a copy of the updated rulebook. I couldn't get an answer as to why we didn't receive it earlier. Maybe you can find a loophole that I've missed.

"I'm sorry." Knowing that he couldn't do much more at this point in time, the headmaster stood up and left the silent room and headed back to his office.

* * *

Wes had grabbed at the book and was angrily skimming through it. David was still holding the letter in shock. Everyone else was in varying states of disbelief and anger. They'd had an awesome year, and just going to New York would've been the icing on the cake. Now to find out that it was just out of their reach…

David watched Wes's face as he looked at the offending page, "Well? What does it say exactly?"

_"Any show choir that is participating in any competition must have an established head of the group, whether it is an advisor, faculty member, or a council that consists of senior members."_

"So what's the problem then? We **have** a council," asked Thad. Wes read the next part.

"**ADDENDUM**_: If any given show choir wins the chance to perform at Nationals, no matter the location, a council will __**not**__ be acceptable. Due to past circumstances, groups __**must**__ have a faculty member or advisor to accompany them to the event. They must conform to the following qualifications and be submitted one week before competition. __**No exceptions.**__"_

Wes finished by reading the specifics on what made an acceptable chaperone. Basically, it had to be a seasoned member of the school faculty with a good record, and someone that was aware of what the group does. This hurt the Warblers because the tradition of the school was to have three students voted as a council to oversee the workings of the group. If the council didn't agree on it, it didn't happen. Anything that would need special permission was then brought to the attention of the headmaster. And since he'd be their best chance and wasn't available…

"We're not going, are we?" Jeff asked.

"I don't see how we can," said Nick. "Professor had a point. The end of the year is crazy and the teachers are advisors to other groups or are helping teams as chaperones. That was why our lack of a permanent advisor was a good thing. Short of getting Nationals moved to a different date - and I don't see that happening - it looks like we're staying home."

Most of the group was either still in shock or had nothing to say. Somehow, Kurt had gotten his hands on the rule book and was looking for an answer himself. He looked at the evil page that had decided their fate and got a brief glimpse of hope.

It didn't specify that the faculty member had to be from the competing school, just aware of how the group operates.

Kurt didn't say anything out loud and skimmed a few pages to a section that spoke of chaperones for special circumstances. There was a page that was dedicated to appropriate people and equipment that was allowed at events, like interpreters for the deaf, portable ramps for wheelchairs, and medical personnel if there were several performers that needed it.

Kurt became unaware of what was going on in the room, as arguing started to break out. Feigning a headache, Kurt left the room with a plan in his mind. He waved off Blaine's concern and said he just needed to lie down for a bit and he'd text him later. If he could work it out, the Warblers would be going to New York.

First, he had some calls to make.

* * *

Kurt wrote down a list what he had in mind so far. The stipulation about medical personnel was interesting, as they could double as a chaperone. Matt was always making comments of wanting to see the kids perform, and if Kurt was honest with himself, he'd feel better if Matt was around, just in case. He'd already had a few close calls after performing in the last two competitions, and he needed medical clearance to fly anyway. And not for nothing, but Artie in a wheelchair was helpful, though Kurt would ask him first about that - he didn't want him to feel used.

The only other problem was that the more students involved, the more chaperones that were needed. There were 16 guys in the Warblers and New Directions had 12. After the debacle last year when Ms. Pillsbury had to fill in for Mr. Schue, she had become the unofficial co-director for New Directions. Both of them knew of how the Warblers operated, and the groups hung out often enough that both could account for how they perform.

There _was_ a rule in the book that allowed schools to travel together if they needed to carpool, so to speak. If Kurt could get Ms. Pillsbury to be the assigned teacher for New Directions, and have Mr. Schue for the Warblers, with Matt as an added chaperone, then they'd have the solution to their problem. Professor Dippet would have to okay everything, and they would have to make arrangements to get the groups to New York together, but Kurt didn't see that as an issue.

But who to call first?

He didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, and if one couldn't go, the whole plan fell apart.

Then Kurt had an idea: what if he called Shelby Corcoran? If there was anyone that knew anything about show choir competitions and rules, it'd be the former coach of Vocal Adrenaline. Even though she left them to raise Beth, he knew that there was no way she wasn't keeping tabs on them.

Kurt didn't have a number for her, but remembered Puck mentioning that he'd talked to her on Skype every once in a while to see how Beth was doing. After getting a username from Puck, he signed on and hoped she was online and would answer him. He was shocked to see her when her face came on the screen.

"It's Kurt, right?"

"How -"

She smiled at his flabbergasted look. "Puck just called and asked if it would be alright for you to call me. I must say, I'm a little confused why you'd need to talk to me."

Kurt sighed. "Do you still keep track of what's going on with Vocal Adrenaline, or the show choir world as a whole?"

Shelby stared for a moment before responding, "I'm not as involved as I was, however I still get memos every once in a while...why?"

"You know that I'm no longer in New Directions, right?"

"Puck's kept me up to date, yes. You're with the Dalton Warblers now."

"Yeah. We're supposed to be going to Nationals; however, we've received word that we're ineligible to attend." Kurt went ahead and explained the letter and the changed rule that's standing in their way. Shelby couldn't believe it, and even left the screen, returning with her copy of the rule book.

"They sent this to me on reflex, I guess. I didn't have the heart to throw it out; now I'm glad I didn't." She found the page with the addendum and shook her head. "It takes one group of idiots to ruin it for everyone else." She noticed the way Kurt was looking at her and had to ask. "You have a plan, don't you? And you want to run it by me."

Kurt nodded, "No one else knows what I've come up with - I don't want to disappoint anyone if I don't have to. The rule doesn't specify that it has to be someone from Dalton. You remember Ms. Pillsbury? She's filled in for Mr. Schue before, so if she took care of them, and he took care of us, then we'd have our advisors."

"You still need another chaperone, though. There's too many of you if you combine the groups for travel."

"That's where we utilize the rule about having a medical professional come with us. I know someone that would be perfect and he could be our third chaperone."

Shelby thought it could work but, "What is your reasoning for a doctor though? I know one of the kids is in a wheelchair, but that may not be enough for them to allow one."

Kurt looked at her and laughed, "Puck hasn't mentioned anything to you, I take it?" At her confused look, he stood up and backed away from the camera, showing himself off and watching her jaw drop.

"No he hasn't. Oh my god - _you're _the one that got pregnant after the attack with the football player?" Shelby didn't know how to react. "Puck told me about the attack and that you'd transferred, and I had heard about a new teen pregnancy, but I never would have thought to put the two together."

Kurt sat down again and explained that he didn't know about the whole 'able to get pregnant' thing either, but that he was doing as well as expected and asked if that would be enough for special treatment.

"I'd say so, but are you okay to perform, or to even fly?"

"We've adapted the choreography so that I don't overexert myself, and I'm not so pregnant that flying is out of the question, but the idea of having Matt come with is a little selfish on my part. I think we'd all feel better to have him on standby - I don't trust easily. I thought that if I explained everything to you first, you could tell me if it's something I could make happen. What do you think?"

Shelby looked at Kurt and looked at the rule book in her hands. She had heard about a few schools dropping out of the competition and didn't understand why. All of a sudden it made sense, and there was no way she was going to hinder Kurt's efforts.

"I think it's doable. You haven't asked anyone else yet, right? I'd get ahold of Will and Emma, and your doctor friend and see if they are available to help. Once they've agreed - because I can't see them saying no - talk to your headmaster and present him with everything. He will have to contact the Committee again to get it approved, but you may have found the loophole you need to make your New York trip happen."

Kurt sighed in relief, "Thank you Shelby. I appreciate the help." Shelby waved and disconnected the call. Kurt fell back onto the bed and groaned realizing that he wasn't done yet. He still had calls to make.

* * *

Kurt eventually gave in and started calling. He started with Matt, because if he couldn't get off work to go, he could just give up now. By some crazy amount of luck, Matt was available. Kurt thought he was messing with him, but Matt said he'd been planning on going anyway, whether Kurt knew about it or not. Of course, Neal forcing him 'to go or else' had helped.

Kurt got Mr. Schue's number from Finn, and figured he'd ask him to talk to Ms. Pillsbury. Again, Kurt got lucky and when Will picked up the phone, he was able to link the phone call to Emma, so Kurt didn't have to explain the master plan more than necessary. Will had heard about the rule change and had been wondering how Kurt and the Warblers were managing the issue. After hearing Kurt's plan, both McKinley teachers were on board. They even volunteered to drive up to Dalton in order to talk to Professor Dippet to work out any details for the trip. Kurt said that he still needed to run everything by the headmaster first, but to expect a call back soon.

Kurt hung up with them, and immediately called the office to set up an appointment to speak with Professor Dippet. When the secretary said to come down whenever, he quickly got his notes together and left to go to the office. He made sure to stay out of sight of the others, Blaine and Jeff especially. When he made it to the office, he was sent in without delay.

To think, after a couple hours of work, things may be finally looking up. However the toughest call still had to be made.

* * *

Professor Harold Dippet wasn't a man that was easily surprised - at least until he'd met Kurt Hummel. When he'd first heard of the boy from some excited Warblers, he'd never expected to find such an exceptional young man. Kurt was bursting with nervousness and excitement, something the headmaster thought was funny and worrying. It took a few minutes for Kurt to calm down, but once he was, he quickly went through his proposal to get them to New York.

Kurt began with his initial plan, mentioned his talk with Shelby, told how he'd gotten 'yeses' from Matt and both teachers, and eventually slowed down to say, "And that's why I'm here now. Do you approve?"

Harold probably looked like a fool with his mouth open, but what other reaction should one be expecting? It had only been a couple of hours since he broke the horrible news, and here was one of his best students who'd taken it upon himself to find a solution, and a brilliant one at that. He approved, all right, but there was one person left to run this by. That person would either make or break the whole thing.

"This is a brilliant plan, and I wholeheartedly agree with it. However, you do realize that the Committee has to approve of it as well. If they say no, that's it. You understand that, right?"

Kurt bit his lip, "I'm fully aware of that, Sir. All anyone can do is hope that they take everything into consideration and allow us to proceed with this plan. It meets all of their requirements, and uses several of their already-set rules, so they can't really argue with that, right?"

Harold smiled at the teen and said, "Well what are we waiting for then?" and picked up the phone. Kurt sat there in shock as he watched the other man dial a number and put on speakerphone. He felt his heart stop when he heard a voice pick up.

* * *

They stared at each other in shock. Kurt could barely breathe as he watched Harold hang up the phone. The last 20 minutes felt like a dream, or a nightmare - Kurt hadn't figured out which yet. Harold watched as Kurt slowly pulled out his cell phone and stare at it, as if he'd forgotten how to use it.

"Are you going to tell them, Kurt? Or do you want me to?"

Kurt lifted his head up and stared for a second, "Um, I will, but can you come with me?"

"Of course I can. Can you get them together in the hall?" Kurt nodded as he sent a mass text to the Warblers:

**EMERGENCY MEETING NOW!**

Unsurprisingly, Blaine called his phone before Harold and Kurt made it out of the office.

_"KURT! Are you alright? Where are you?" _

"Blaine, I'm fine. Just get yourself, and any of the Warblers you find on your way, to the practice hall, alright? I'm only explaining this once." Blaine agreed and hung up, doing as he was told.

Harold had to laugh at the exasperated look on Kurt's face, "That boy is head over heels in love with you."

Kurt chuckled, "That he is, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It does get a little annoying at times, though I can't blame him. If my boyfriend sent out a text like that, I'd be worried too."

By the time they reached the Warblers' hall, they could hear yelling and confusion. Wes, David, and Thad were at the front table and trying to get order in the room, and failing, while Blaine was pacing off to the side in worry. Kurt looked at Harold before slamming open one of the doors, immediately stopping all conversation and movement. Kurt only had a second to prepare himself, as Blaine took that as a cue to pull Kurt into a tight hug and sighing in relief.

"Don't ever send a text like that again unless I know where you are, okay? I went to check on you and you were gone and I couldn't find you - " Blaine was cut off as Kurt swiftly kissed him to shut him up.

"Calm down; I'm fine. What have you done with my dapper boyfriend, huh?" Blaine stared at Kurt and finally noticed the smiling headmaster standing behind him.

"Oh, crap. Sir, I'm sorry. I was worried and -"

"Breathe Mr. Anderson. I'm sure Mr. Hummel would appreciate a boyfriend that isn't hyperventilating." He turned his attention to the rest of the boys in the room. "Will all of you take a breath and find a seat, please. We have something important to discuss."

Wes couldn't tell what the headmaster's motivation was, "No offence, sir, but the last time you said that, all you gave us was bad news. I don't think I can handle any more right now."

By this point, Kurt had firmly pushed Blaine into a chair and pointed a glare at anyone that was still standing around. Harold laughed at the sight before turning his attention back onto Wes. "I assure you - you're going to want to hear this. Kurt, if you don't mind."

Kurt smiled and took a spot in the front of the room where everyone could see him. "Gentlemen, we're going to Nationals."

Like a bad case of déjà vu, the Warblers were once again shocked into silence. Wes, for one, looked like he was about to cry.

"Kurt," Blaine asked slowly, "what do you mean we're going to Nationals? I thought we wouldn't be able to go." Harold saw the unsure excitement that was practically vibrating off of the boys in the room, and signaled to Kurt that he'd handle this first.

"Kurt here came up with a brilliant plan that ensures the Warblers competing at Nationals. And I can vouch that's all been settled and approved by the National Show Choir Committee." He motioned to Kurt to explain.

"The rule book states that we have to have a faculty member assigned to be in charge of us. However it doesn't _specifically_ state that the faculty member has to be from the competing school, just aware of what the group is capable of." Kurt still saw some confusion on the Warblers' faces, but noticed the way Wes looked like he was about to cry.

"Oh my god, you found a loophole," said Wes.

Kurt smirked, "I did indeed. In fact, I also found a second rule for special circumstances which further helps us out, but I'm getting ahead of myself. I actually first called up Vocal Adrenaline's former coach, Shelby Corcoran, and got her opinion about it. I knew if there was a competition question I needed answered, she'd know. If it wasn't doable, I could stop there and forget it, but even she looked impressed with what I came up with. Here's what's going to happen:

"Hopefully you won't mind becoming one big, happy - and temporary - family with the New Directions. I talked to Mr. Schuester. He has agreed to take responsibility for us while we are in New York. Ms. Pillsbury – I don't think you've met her; she's the guidance counselor - is a co-director and will handle New Directions. Since there will be almost 30 of us going, we are utilizing another rule that allows us to have someone act as medical personnel, as well as a chaperone."

"Medical personnel?" asked Thad.

"Of course. There's a rule that allows special equipment or aide for special needs or disabilities," said Wes, "but how'd you swing that - oh, duh." David gave him a slight hit on the head, not believing how the senior managed to forget about the pregnant boy standing in front of him.

Kurt rolled his eyes while the other boys snickered at Wes's expense. "Yes Wesley, duh. Matt has agreed to accompany us as well, which gives us a third chaperone. I checked with Artie and he didn't mind being mentioned as an added variable. He was more of a backup plan, but it seemed to help when we explained it to the Committee that we had a pregnant teen _and_ a wheelchair-bound student, so getting Matt allowed to go was pretty easy.

"Professor Dippet and I also managed to get the flight and hotel accommodations taken care of. Both groups will be flying together out of Columbus and into LaGuardia next Friday morning, and we'll be staying at the hotel that is reserved for all of the competitors. Room assignments are more or less set up, but we can talk about details in a bit. Any questions?"

"I have one," said Jeff, "can we vote Kurt on next year's council now? Because if he doesn't deserve it by now, then I quit."

"Jeffrey, we can't vote -" Kurt protested.

"All in favor of considering Kurt as a possibility for the council next year, raise your hand," Wes interrupted. Kurt's jaw dropped as he saw everyone's hands shoot up, some raising both.

"Wes, doesn't this go against some code or something?" asked Kurt.

"I asked for agreement of consideration. We'll do a formal vote after Nationals," he said with a smile. Kurt was glad he found a seat because otherwise, he would've fallen in shock. "Well, there we go. We have a candidate for next year's council. So Kurt, what other details do we need to go over? Besides a finalized set list."

Professor Harold Dippet smiled as he walked out of the room and headed back to his office, leaving the bantering behind him.

And to think, just hours ago, all of those boys were depressed.

* * *

Arrangementshad been made for the New Directions, Will, Emma, and Matt to stay at Dalton the night before leaving for New York. This made it easier for everyone, so they could travel straight to Columbus in one bus. Westerville was closer to Columbus than Lima anyway, so it saved one group over an hour of travel time. That, and their flight was for early Friday morning.

Getting everyone up and moving wasn't much of a challenge - everyone had been too excited to sleep the night before. A few of them started dozing in the terminal, though, while they were waiting for the boarding call, Kurt and Blaine being the sleepiest of them all.

While the morning sickness had definitely died down after he'd entered his second trimester, Kurt still dealt with occasional bouts of it at night. Unfortunately, last night had been one of those nights. Blaine had been texting Kurt and after not hearing from him for longer than usual, Blaine snuck into Kurt's room and spent most of the night taking care of him, so they were understandably tired. Kurt was just hoping that he wouldn't get sick on the plane, but since it was his first time flying, and his luck was so-so, he had a fifty-fifty chance.

Thankfully, it was a good flight and while a few of them had a hard time getting used to the feel of being in the air, no one got sick. They swiftly made their way out of the airport and found the shuttle service that was in charge of transporting the competing groups to the hotel. After piling into two shuttles, they took in the sights as they drove through the city.

Checking into the hotel went much easier than they expected it to. Will took care of getting the room keys, while Wes announced the room assignments. As a token of his appreciation, Harold had taken care of the rooms for McKinley, so that everyone wasn't crammed into two rooms. New Directions and the Warblers were each split into four rooms. The rooms broke down like this:

Room 1: Will, Emma and Matt (the adults)

Room 2: Finn, Puck and Sam (the bros)

Room 3: Mike, Tina and Artie (the odd ones out)

Room 4: Quinn, Brittany and Santana (the Cheerio trio)

Room 5: Rachel, Mercedes and Lauren (the divas)

Room 6: Kurt, Blaine, Nick and Jeff (the couples)

Room 7: Wes, David, Thad and Beatz (the non-couples)

Room 8: Trent, Nathan, Drew and Tim (Trent was put in charge of the freshmen)

Room 9: Rich, Jimmy, Peter and Anthony (the sophomores)

There weren't any complaints, shockingly enough. Nobody had any complaints about the arrangements, which would allow everyone plenty of time to get ready for the competition the following morning. In the meantime, since they were some of the earlier groups to arrive, they had time to relax and reserve times to use meeting rooms as practice areas. Both the Warblers and New Directions were able to grab rooms around the same time, so that there would still be time to go out afterwards.

After all, they were in New York City and they wanted to see it at night.

* * *

The morning of Nationals was hectic. There were costumes, makeup, and various products being thrown in several directions in every room, although some were calmer than others. When they made it to the venue, Will went ahead and found out that both groups were in the middle of the performance order, but there were groups going in between them. They found seats together and only split up for their performances.

The Warblers were performing before New Directions. The boys had agreed after their last meeting that they would perform two songs, and as they'd done at Sectionals, they divided the solos in the songs. They wanted to show off something slow and sweet with something that was a little more upbeat.

They lined up on the risers and started lightly harmonizing as Blaine took his spot at one end of the stage.

_I walked across an empty land_

_I knew the pathway like the back of my hand_

_I felt the earth beneath my feet_

_Sat by the river and it made me complete_

_Oh simple thing, where have you gone?_

_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on_

_So tell me when you're gonna let me in_

_I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

Kurt stepped out of his spot at the other end and started to sing the next verse, never taking his eyes off of Blaine.

_I came across a fallen tree_

_I felt the branches of it looking at me_

_Is this the place we used to love?_

_Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?_

_Oh simple thing, where have you gone?_

_I'm getting old and I need something to rely on_

_So tell me when you're gonna let me in_

_I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

While Kurt had been singing, he'd been slowly making his way to center stage; Blaine was doing the same thing. They met in the middle and sang the next part of the song together, to each other.

_And if you have a minute, why don't we go_

_Talk about it somewhere only we know?_

_This could be the end of everything_

_So why don't we go somewhere only we know?_

_Somewhere only we know_

_(Some - where)_

The rest of the Warblers had been building up to a great crescendo, and their intensity was hard to miss. Blaine and Kurt continued to sing to each other as the others joined in.

_And if you have a minute, why don't we go_

_Talk about it somewhere only we know?_

_This could be the end of everything_

_So why don't we go? So why don't we go?_

_And if you have a minute, why don't we go_

_Talk about it somewhere only we know?_

_This could be the end of everything_

_So why don't we go somewhere only we know?_

_Somewhere only we know_

_Somewhere only we know_

They had barely finished the last line when the audience stood up and applauded like crazy. The boys were pleased with the crowd's reaction and hoped to keep their momentum going. The risers were pushed back a little so that everyone was on the stage floor. Their second number had way more choreography, and it was deemed safer to do it on a flat stage. It was definitely something different for them, as it was going to be a mash-up – something they hadn't tried before.

At Blaine's signal of _Oh Yeah_, Beatz led the way with the bop-bops, and the boys started a little bounce step routine which got them moving across the stage.

Blaine once again got the ball rolling, and started the first verse of _Misery._

_So scared of breaking it_

_But you won't let it bend_

_And I wrote two hundred letters_

_I will never send_

_Sometimes these cuts are so much deeper than they seem_

_You'd rather cover up_

_I'd rather let them bleed_

_So let me be_

_And I'll set you free_

As they got to the chorus, the boys that weren't in Beatz's group, joined Blaine in singing. At the same time, the boys moved as a well-oiled machine, showing off what they had first done in a random hallway at Dalton, with Nick, Jeff and David leading the pack.

_I am in misery_

_There ain't nobody who can comfort me_

_(Oh yeah)_

_Why won't you answer me?_

_The silence is slowly killing me_

_Girl you really got me bad_

_You really got me bad_

_I'm gonna get you back_

_Gonna get you back_

People who were expecting the next verse got a shock, when the next words came from the Jackson 5's _I Want You Back_ instead_._ Nick led off with the chorus, with the others backing him up.

_**Oh baby, give me one more chance**_

_**(To show you that I love you)**_

_**Won't you please let me back in your heart?**_

_**Oh darlin', I was blind to let you go**_

_**(Let you go, baby)**_

_**But now since I've seen you it is on**_

_**(I want you back)**_

Once again, they switched back to _Misery_, except Blaine took over while Jeff took care of leading the dance number.

_I am in misery_

_There ain't nobody who can comfort me (Oh yeah)_

_Why won't you answer me?_

_The silence is slowly killing me_

_Girl you really got me bad_

_You really got me bad_

_I'm gonna get you back_

_I'm gonna get you back_

This time, Jeff took a break from dancing and belted out the chorus, while Nick kept the boys moving and backing him up.

_**Oh, just one more chance**_

_**To show you that I love you**_

_**Baby baby baby baby baby baby!**_

_**(I want you back)**_

_**Forget what happened then**_

_**(I want you back)**_

_**And let me live again!**_

Kurt took up the next part as they moved back to _Misery_, and was grateful that he just needed to sing. He was really starting to get winded from trying to keep up with everyone else.

_Say your faith is shaken_

_You may be mistaken_

_You keep me wide awake and_

_Waiting for the sun_

_I'm desperate and confused_

_So far away from you_

_I'm getting there_

_I don't care where I have to go_

Kurt was positioned with the sophomores, who were dancing around him as he sang. By this point, though, he was getting dizzy. Rich had noticed first and shot a look to Jimmy, who was the tallest of the four of them. He broke their circle up and improvised a bit. He danced behind Kurt and was subtle in placing his hands on Kurt's back, as a way to keep him steady; the other three kept moving as a distraction. The audience didn't notice.

_**Oh baby, I need one more chance, hah**_

_**I'd show you that I love you**_

_**Baby, oh! Baby, oh! Baby, oh!**_

_**I want you back!**_

_**I want you back!**_

_Girl you really got me bad_

_You really got me bad_

_I'm gonna get you back_

_Gonna get you back_

The boys were high on adrenaline and out of breath as they finished their number, ecstatic that the crowd seemed to love their performance. A minute later, the curtain went down, and so did Kurt - almost. He was the most out of breath in the bunch, and if it wasn't for Jimmy keeping a good hold of him, he would've been on the floor. Blaine rushed over as soon as he was free from the audience's eyes.

"Kurt! Are you alright?" Blaine asked. Kurt still seemed to be having a hard time catching his breath, but was able to answer Blaine.

"Yeah...just...need...a...sec…" He tried to give them a reassuring smile, but it came out more as a grimace. Wes and David had quickly pushed most of the boys off of the stage, sending Rich and Drew to find Matt. Blaine and Jimmy slowly started to walk Kurt back to the greenroom they had been using before they got on stage. By the time they entered the room, Matt was already there, setting up a few things. He had watched them practice and knowing that their actual performance was going to be more taxing, came prepared.

He motioned Blaine and Jimmy to set Kurt down on the couch, and asked if the others would kindly leave the room for a few minutes. Once again, Wes and David took care of the worried teens and gently forced them back into the hallway. Matt could tell without checking that Kurt's blood pressure was high, and was concerned about his breathing. He took out a mask that was hooked up to a small oxygen canister and told Kurt to take a few easy breaths, hoping the extra air would help him a little.

A few minutes later, and Kurt's color was improving, the flush from too much exercise slowly dissipating. Blaine's face, for that matter, was also less red than it had been when he first entered the room. Kurt took a final deep breath of oxygen before taking the mask off his face.

"So...how we doing, Kurt?" asked Matt.

"Better. I didn't expect to get so breathless. I mean, I was expecting some, but not to the point of seeing spots. Is the baby okay? The dancing was hard enough; the kicking in the ribs certainly wasn't helping."

"I'll check in a second. Your pressure is still high, but it's coming down. I want you to stay put for a while. Don't worry," he said, seeing his expression, "I won't let you miss New Directions' performance. There are still a few groups to go before it's their turn." Blaine felt like he was being ignored, but Kurt noticed and took his hand. He was able to send him a real smile this time, and the tension seemed to melt off of Blaine. Matt pulled out the mini-portable ultrasound and declared the baby to be in good shape. Blaine left to tell the rest of the group that Kurt was okay, leaving Matt to sit with him while he was gone.

"You're sure the baby's okay?"

"Yes, and you'll be fine too, though I'm gonna have to ground you from any more performances. The last thing we need is for you to really overexert yourself and end up in labor. To be honest, any more, and labor could have been a real possibility. However, I do have some good news. Do you want to know?"

Kurt looked perplexed before realizing what Matt was asking. "Seriously? You can tell?"

"Yep. I guess all that dancing made her forget which way was what." Matt was smiling like an idiot, as he waited for Kurt to catch up and realize what he said. Kurt brightened up instantly and grabbed Matt for a hug. Blaine came back into the room at that point and was wondering what was going on. Kurt had no problem filling him in.

"It's a girl, Blaine! And she's okay! No doubt she's a little dizzy herself." Kurt's smile was contagious and Blaine was quick to pull his boyfriend into a hug of his own.

"That's fantastic, babe. Some of the guys are gonna be upset - they were hoping for a boy."

Kurt just smirked, "Well, that's too fricking bad."

* * *

The Warblers did make it in time to watch New Directions perform two newer original songs; however seeing Finn and Rachel kiss on stage like that caused many a jaw to drop in shock.

There are some things that should **never **be done on stage, let alone at Nationals.

They kept their comments to themselves and were warned by Kurt that they should be prepared for one hell of a fight when they got back to the hotel. And a fight there was.

As if placing twelfth wasn't bad enough, the Warblers had placed _eleventh_. While they were disappointed to get so close, but not close enough, they were also happy to have done so well. It had been a long time since Dalton made it to Nationals, and this was their best placement ever, so they weren't complaining.

Hell did break out at the hotel, but after a stern talking to from Will, the group split into different corners to cool off, considering that they'd have to deal with being in a confined space once they got onto the plane to go home. Everyone was told to get some rest, since they needed to be at the airport by 6 am for their return flight.

Unfortunately, they should've expected that their luck was about to run out.

* * *

Dark storm clouds and a torrential downpour was how the morning started. A nasty storm had made its way down from the north and was causing nothing but problems. Everyone was more than ready to go home. The lack of conversation from the New Directions was troubling, as most were still avoiding Rachel and Finn. There was also some tension between both groups, considering one of them placed better than the other. Again, that was contributed to a certain couple, but the Warblers kept their opinions to themselves. The New Directions just weren't talking.

At the moment, the whole group was waiting in the terminal for their boarding call. However, it became clear very quickly, if Will's yelling was anything to go by, that there was a problem.

"What do you mean we don't have seats! I have the tickets here that say we're supposed to be on that plane!" Will could not believe what he was being told.

"Sir I'm sorry, but there must have been a glitch in the system. And this storm is grounding flights left and right. I'm sorry but as of right now, I can't get all of you onto a flight until late tonight, maybe tomorrow at best. As most of them are minors without paperwork, I can't just let them board several different flights." The woman at the counter looked apologetic and really had nothing else to tell Will. He sighed and told her he'd be back. He made his way to the tired, anxious teens that had heard most of the conversation.

"Will, what the hell is going on?" asked Matt, "why can't we board?"

"Apparently there was a mix-up and they gave our seats to the Waffletoots and another group called New Dimension. This airline was in charge of a good chunk of the groups that participated, so they've been dealing with a lot of kids in a very short amount of time. The storm is causing delays and cancellations, so the chances of us getting home tonight are very low." Matt just stared at Will for a moment before shaking his head.

"So what are we going to do then?" asked Emma.

Matt kept quiet as Will and Emma were trying to come up with a solution. By this point, the kids had figured out that something was up and were tired of waiting to hear why. Wes and David locked eyes with Puck and got up to speak with Matt.

"Dude, what's up? Why does it sound like we're stuck here?" asked Puck.

Matt sighed angrily, "Our seats were given away to two other groups by mistake. The airline has been having a hard time - groups have been coming and going all weekend. As it stands, the flight we're now not on, looks like it's about to be grounded anyway. We don't have a lot of options."

David looked thoughtful for a second. "Hey what about the train? It'll take a little longer than driving, but at least we will be able to stay together, and the train still runs in bad weather for the most part."

"And how is that going to work exactly? Columbus doesn't have a train station," said Wes.

"Do you think they've got a map of Ohio's train stations lying around here?" Three blank stares was David's answer. "Yeah, I'll go get my laptop."

Will and Emma walked over to see what was going on. Puck told them about the possibility of grabbing a train, but the question of where they'd take it to still remained. David came back with his laptop opened up to Amtrak's website. Ohio had several stations, but all of them were two hours or more away from both Lima and Westville. David pulled up a map and tried to figure out which stop would be the most helpful.

"None of these stops are close. Can't we have one trip home go as planned? Is that so much to ask? This sucks."

"Hang on," said Matt, "go back a second." He looked at the map and pointed out one of the stations. "If we can arrange transportation from the Elyria stop, it'll take two hours-ish to get home, and that goes for both groups. We'd just need two buses - one to go to Dalton, and another to take the rest of us to Lima."

"I'm sure Mr. Franks will be willing to help us out. He's always saying that he owes Kurt for that lovely trip home from Sectionals."

"That could work...only problem for us will be the bus part. I don't see Figgins finding someone to pick us up," said Will.

"What about Coach Beiste? At least she likes us. I'll even call her and ask if she can. The only other option would be Sue, and I don't wanna go there." Puck had a point.

"David, when's the next train?" asked Matt.

"Uh...there's a train leaving Penn Station at 8:30, which means we'll get into Elyria by 9 pm. Then it'll still take a couple hours for us to get to our respective destinations."

The adults looked at each other and shrugged; it was the best plan they had.

The next twenty minutes was crazy. Will and Matt worked on getting their plane tickets changed into train tickets, while Wes and Puck made phone calls to secure busing home from the station. Thankfully both Mr. Franks and Coach Beiste were available and promised to meet them at Elyria. They'd all be getting home later than planned, but at least they would get home by midnight. Once they had everything figured out, the next plan of action was getting out of the airport and to Penn Station, which was easier said than done.

It took some motivation, but slowly the group collected their bags and made their way outside. The airline had called ahead and secured some shuttles to take them, as an apology for screwing them out of their seats. They cut it close, but soon enough, they were on the train and headed home. Once everyone had settled into their seats, parents were called and made aware of the new travel plans.

After that, it didn't take long before their section of the train grew quiet as one by one they fell asleep. It had been a long weekend, and they still had to attend classes in the morning.


	10. Its not gonna be pink

**This was the very first thing I published after 10 years, and the start of a story I'm very proud of. And it's also a time jumper.**

**_It's not gonna be pink._**

* * *

"Okay, so how about we do a kick for yes and nothing for no. how does that sound?"

Blaine got a kick in response. "Ha - see Kurt, this will be easy."

Kurt just raised an eyebrow at his overexcited boyfriend. "Honey, you do realize that babies kick, like whenever they want to, right? I would've thought that you, being the smart boy you are, would know that. _She's _responding to your voice and knows it's you."

"...you love ruining my fun, don't you?"

"I just don't want you to be disappointed when you don't get the answers you want. And why are you asking _her_ opinion anyway? _She _doesn't know what colors look like yet! And in case you haven't noticed, the kicking is starting to hurt. I don't mind when _she's_ in the mood to move around a little bit - I know _she's_ running out of room in there - but do you really have to be the instigator?"

"I just don't want _him_ to be mad at us when _he's _older and we have to explain why _his _room is pink. It's going to be _his_ room for a while, and I don't want him to resent us for not taking his feelings into consideration."

Kurt watched Blaine rubbing his belly, wondering what the real problem was. Kurt already knew how they were going to set up the baby's room -which he had proof of that it is a girl - but there had to be another reason why Blaine was so insistent about something as simple as a paint color. So in order for him to get his question answered, Kurt started to move off the bed, noticing the look of alarm on Blaine's face.

"I'm not leaving, calm down; I can't lay like this anymore. Once I get comfortable, you can start your questioning, alright?"

Blaine's face lit up and with that, was determined to get Kurt comfortable, as quickly as possible, which was hard considering his 34-week pregnant body, and knew just the position to get him in. Blaine climbed on the bed, put a couple pillows against the headboard, and leaned against them, pulling Kurt towards him until he heard a sigh of contentment. He loved holding Kurt like this. He got to hold his boyfriend and feel the baby at the same time, which for the next hour would be perfect.

"Now before we get started, I need to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me, you got that? Otherwise, I'm going downstairs and sending Finn up here to interrogate you."

Kurt felt Blaine sigh, and nod his head in response.

"What's really bothering you, Blaine? And for the record, my room was initially pink until I was born. It was repainted while Mom and I were still in the hospital. I didn't care about the color until I was able to talk and started coloring the walls myself."

Blaine had to laugh at that. He'd heard the story a month ago from Burt, back when they first started discussing the baby's room. "And why did it have to be repainted-oh yeah, the doctor said you were a girl. And even though you are a diva, you're definitely a boy. How sure are we that this one," Blaine pointed to Kurt's belly, "is definitely a girl? Until that kid comes out, you can keep saying it's a she and I'll keep saying it's a he."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Blaine, from the stories I heard about Mom's doctor, he was wrong about the gender of most of the babies he delivered. It became a running joke at the hospital that if he said you were having a boy, it was a girl, and vice versa. Besides, we went ahead and got the 3D sonogram last week. There's no sign of a penis, and as you've said: no penis = a girl...you're afraid of girls all of a sudden?"

"…..no…..just infant girls….and teenage girls….."

Kurt sat shocked for a second-then began to laugh. "You are adorable. I'll ask about that in a minute. Now, back to my original question. What's the deal with the paint color? If you want to wait, we can. I know it can be painted in the time between pushing the kid out and coming home - since it's been done before."

Blaine sighed again and hugged Kurt closer to him. "I just want to make sure the baby has a room they'll like. Babies like bright colors and happy things. My parents weren't expecting me. My room was painted brown, and it lacked any kind of feeling. I never liked it and when I asked my parents about it when I got older, they didn't seem to care at all. 'It's just a bedroom for a child-you should grateful you have a room.' When I used to go on play-dates, I was always jealous of my friends. If their room didn't have a theme, it at least had some color."

Kurt turned around enough to give Blaine a kiss. While he was glad that Blaine had an older brother that loved him, he knew it hurt him that his parents didn't give a damn about him. Cooper was the son they wanted - straight, smart and successful. Blaine was a surprise they didn't want, and even though he was smart and on his way to being as successful as his brother, the whole 'being gay' thing didn't help him.

"I know it hurts that they aren't and haven't ever really been supportive of you. It breaks my heart that they don't see what I see, what Dad, Carole, and both of the glee clubs see, what your _brother_ sees. If they don't want to see the awesome, funny, caring, smart and talented guy you are, then screw them."

Blaine had tears in his eyes after that little spiel. His boyfriend had made his point. So what if his parents didn't care? Kurt had named plenty of people that did. He didn't need his parents' input on how to raise a child - Cooper did most of that for him - and not only that, Burt and Carole had become his parents, and they had only known him for a year.

Blaine leaned down and kissed Kurt with more passion than usual. Screw his parents - he didn't need them.

"I love you, Kurt, and thank you. Sometimes I just need some sense knocked into me, although I don't know where it all disappears to."

"Well, maybe if you stopped jumping on the furniture during Warbler practice - Jeff and Nick have a bet going to see how long you can go without hurting yourself again."

"Oh really? Well, I'll show them."

Kurt was relieved to see Blaine's smile, and knew just what to do to keep it there. "Go ahead, Blaine. You have my permission. Just try not to make it last long."

Blaine looked confused for a second and then brightened up even more. "Really?"

"Go ahead and ask _her_ what color _she_ wants _her_ room to be. Just be ready to give me a massage later as payment. I have a feeling I'll be in need of one." Kurt smirked while Blaine rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you want, Kurt." Blaine carefully moved from behind Kurt, and after making sure he was comfortable, moved down to lay next to Kurt's belly and started where he left off.

"Okay baby, remember what I said earlier: one kick for yes, and nothing for no. So, first things first: since everyone is convinced you're a girl, they wanna paint your room pink -"

"Except me. I never agreed that her room was going to be pink."

"...so I've been worked up over nothing? Why not pink?"

"Pink is a stereotypical color for a baby girl, and you know how much I love to break stereotypes."

Blaine just stared at his boyfriend with his jaw dropped. "You know what-forget I said anything. I temporarily forgot that you're my super awesome fashionista, that's probably had the whole room designed for the last month."

Kurt laughed again at the look on Blaine's face. "Actually, no...more like almost three months." He proceeded to rub his belly and talk to his daughter. "Don't worry baby girl - your daddy is just having an off day. He's normally a lot smarter than this. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

All the boys got in response was a nice, strong kick, which had Kurt wincing and Blaine nodding in approval, "that's my girl."


	11. Baby Shower Surprises

**You guys are awesome and I love you! Before I get out of your way, a couple quick things to mention:**

**-If you're interested in reading this story in chronological order, I have posted a story called '**_**I Like Purple Better'**_**. I've been obsessing over continuity for this story, so if you read that and something seems out of place, let me know.**

**-I have posted a future fic to this story called '**_**Pink, Blue or Purple?**_**' which takes place 5 years after '**_**It's not gonna be pink**_**'. It features pregnant Kurt AND pregnant Jeff, so it is also a Klaine/Niff/mpreg, and will remain as a one-shot for now. However, I do plan on adding to it, but not for a little while. Check it out!**

**-As usual, if you don't recognize certain characters, they're probably mine. Otherwise, it's just wishful thinking on my part.**

**-This takes place after the title chapter 'It's not gonna be pink'. Enjoy!**

_**Baby Shower Surprises**_

* * *

A baby shower is when a mother-to-be receives gifts from friends and family that will be beneficial for both mom and baby. Most people have a typical idea of what is needed for taking care of a child. However, for a group of teenagers that have no idea how to plan this type of party, this becomes a very difficult task, especially when most of said teenagers have no source of income. And it doesn't take long to figure out that money is a necessity, especially for childcare.

Unsurprisingly, Jeff had been the first person to ask about one. He knew that Blaine had basically moved into Kurt's bedroom, leaving the now-cleaned-out spare room, to become a nursery. Jeff was also aware that while Kurt liked designer items, the boy knew when to be practical. He had had no idea that Kurt's car had been haggled for and fixed up - the thing looked new, like all the time - and that while Kurt did own several designer outfits, they were often bought or rented for a fraction of the price, and that once they were 'out of fashion' they were resold or given away. That, or he played with designing his own clothes.

Once Kurt had admitted that he had had ideas for the baby's room for a while, Blaine decided that it would be up to him to make it happen. Blaine had grudgingly admitted defeat about the sex of the baby after their last conversation. Blaine had stolen Kurt's baby journal a few days later. Kurt had started it during winter break, after they found out he was pregnant. He had been keeping track of the baby's progress, as well as his own.

Kurt was someone that knew what he wanted. When Blaine found the baby journal, he was surprised to see that while the baby's room was drawn out with the correct dimensions and labeled with certain color schemes, but that was where many of the details ended. There were pictures that had been taped into the book, but they weren't recent clippings like Blaine was expecting. In fact, they didn't come from a magazine at all. From what he could tell, they were legitimate pictures of a nursery from a long time ago.

Blaine had seen Kurt's wedding planner for Burt and Carole's wedding. Everything had been color-coded, labeled, and had precise pictures, so for the baby's room to not have the same critical attention was confusing to say the least...and extremely unhelpful. Blaine had tried finding the furniture in the pictures online but came up empty.

Enter Mercedes and Tina.

Blaine and Jeff needed help so they had asked the girls to talk to Kurt, to see if they could find any intel into what Kurt wanted, figuring they stood the best chance at getting answers. The boys as a whole wouldn't know what to ask, and the rest of the girls would either be too opinionated, bossy, bitchy, or just overall unhelpful. Once they found some solid evidence, Burt was asked to be notified. He had said that a lot of Kurt's baby things were still in storage - more than likely in need of some TLC - but it'd be several big ticket items that no one would need to worry about.

Blaine had planned a day for Mercedes and Tina to come over and spend the day with Kurt. While they were keeping him occupied, Burt was taking Finn and Blaine to a storage unit to see what exactly they had to work with. When Burt had first said that he still had Kurt's baby things, Blaine was surprised. He didn't think parents kept things like that unless they were going to have more kids. Burt had already mentioned before that the fact he and Elizabeth had Kurt was nothing short of a miracle. So why bother keeping anything?

"Sentimental reasons." Blaine hadn't realized that he'd been thinking out loud. "Elizabeth and I thought that since we got so lucky with Kurt, that maybe we'd get lucky a second time. By the time Kurt started school, we had resigned ourselves to the idea we'd stay a family of three. However, we decided that throwing out Kurt's things was not an option, and at the time, we didn't know anyone that was expecting. So instead, we put the baby furniture and things into storage. Some of Elizabeth's things are in here too."

"Does Kurt know her stuff's here too?"

"Yeah, though I think he's forgotten about the baby stuff. It's been a while since we've gone through the whole unit, but you'll be able to tell that even a rarely used storage unit is no match for Kurt." Finn and Blaine looked at each other, not sure what that meant. It was obvious when Burt opened the unit, though - it was ridiculously organized.

"Wow, Burt, you weren't kidding. Hey - my old little league trophies! I thought Mom threw them out when we moved."

"Kurt grabbed them and boxed them up, in case you were to go looking for them later. We've got miscellaneous things in here from moving."

Blaine almost missed the last thing that Burt had said. He was staring at two boxes that had his name on them. "Burt - what's in these?"

Burt looked at boxes before giving himself a light smack on the head. "Sorry Blaine - those haven't been here long. Your brother dropped them off a couple weeks ago while you two were at school. He went to your parents' house and grabbed whatever was left of your stuff before they could get rid of anything else. Kurt said to keep it in here until you were in better shape to go through everything. That, and until you two had figured out the bedroom situation. We can bring them back with us if you want."

"Yes please." Blaine was overwhelmed. Cooper had been furious with their parents when they told Blaine to choose between them and Kurt. When Blaine said he'd pick Kurt over them in a heartbeat, that had been the last straw. They had never wanted Blaine, more so after he'd come out. Blaine of course didn't see getting kicked out as that big of a problem - he had practically been moving into the Hummel-Hudson house little by little since winter break.

After Blaine and Kurt finally got together on New Year's, not much about their relationship changed. Burt let them stay in Kurt's room, with the stipulation that the door stayed half-open. The boys were more affectionate with each other around the house, and it was hard to find them apart once they went back to school. However, they did abide by the school rules and slept in their separate rooms at Dalton.

Cooper had been the one to point out something to Blaine when he visited at the end of January. Blaine hadn't noticed it right away, but every weekend they both ended up at Kurt's house - he never thought twice about going home. Cooper mentioned talking to their mom and asking about Blaine, but according to her, Blaine never left school, something Cooper knew wasn't true. He wasn't surprised at her lack of knowledge on her son's whereabouts, yet it still bothered him, especially when Blaine said he hadn't spoken to their parents since before Christmas. What difference would it make if he tried to call them? They never wanted to spend time with him anyway, and they were never home.

Initially, the spare room at the Hummel-Hudson house was to be cleaned out and used as an extra bedroom, or as Burt subtly suggested, it could be Blaine's room. And at first it was - for a couple of weeks. Carole noticed one day cleaning that Blaine's stuff was mixing into Kurt's room - and it just worked. Eventually, Burt gave in and allowed Blaine to move into Kurt's room, permanently. This left the spare room empty.

As the semester wore on, Blaine went to the Anderson house less and less, until there wasn't a point to go there anymore. Anything of his he really needed or wanted was either in his dorm, or in Kurt's room. It was a little heart-breaking that his parents didn't notice until late April that he hadn't been home in a while. When he said he had been staying with Kurt's family, they actually got angry about it and told him he had a choice.

Them or Kurt.

Like that was a decision he had to think about.

Cooper backed him up and said as much to their parents. By the time May rolled around, Blaine no longer had a place in the Anderson home, and he didn't mind that. The only problem was when they threatened him with losing Dalton in the fall - it would be his senior year, and there was no way he was going to transfer schools again. Thankfully Cooper was there to make sure that Dalton wouldn't be an issue.

Blaine was brought back to the present, when he heard Finn yell from the back of the unit - he'd found the baby stuff. Burt was rolling his eyes and saying that it made sense everything was in the back - the unit was essentially put together from most recent additions to earliest. It took some maneuvering, but eventually the back of the truck was loaded with Blaine's stuff, several containers, and baby furniture. It was right before they were about to leave that Blaine had a thought.

"Hey Burt - you said that Kurt knows that this stuff is in here right?" At Burt's nod he continued. "Won't he notice we'd been here when we bring in my stuff? We told him we were doing some food shopping, not digging around a storage unit. And where are we stashing the furniture?" Burt realized that they hadn't thought this through all the way.

"How about the shop?" Burt and Blaine looked at Finn. "We do have to go shopping still, but first we'll drop this stuff off at the garage and clean up, and if Kurt asks about the boxes, Dad can just say that he'd forgotten about them and we made a pit stop to pick them up. He won't think twice about ulterior motives."

Blaine just stared, "Finn, that's brilliant." Burt agreed before locking up the unit. "Alright boys, let's get a move on. Kurt will be wondering what's taking so long."

* * *

When Burt, Blaine and Finn got home, it was to a quiet house. Tina and Mercedes were chilling on the floor while Kurt was napping on the couch. They motioned for the girls to meet them in the other room, so they didn't wake up Kurt. Finn showed them the pictures he took of the furniture and the girls gasped.

"That's the furniture from the baby book! Where did you find it?"

Burt responded, "Storage unit. I'm not sure where, or when, he found those pictures, but it's all of Kurt's stuff from when he was a baby. Elizabeth had a lot of time to come up with ideas for his room while she was on bed rest. Granted, we had to change a few things at the last minute, but that's where Kurt gets his planning skills from. His mother always had a backup plan." He pointed out a few things that would need to be taken care of, but he figured with all of the kids helping, they'd get it all done in no time.

"We were talking on the way back, and we thought that we could divvy up the work. Each piece of furniture needs some touch ups and a new paint job. There are baby clothes and miscellaneous items that need to be sorted and declared salvageable or trash. We hid the stuff at the shop for now, so Kurt doesn't find it on accident," said Blaine.

"We figured the guys could take care of the messy work and you girls could take care of the rest. You're better with small details and keeping Kurt occupied," said Finn. "Not to say that none of us can't go shopping, though. There's a lot of stuff we probably won't use, but there's nothing wrong with taking advantage of what we already have."

Blaine left the others to talk so he could check on Kurt. Anyone could tell just by looking that the last couple of weeks had been tough on Kurt. His sleeping patterns had become very erratic, which led to him taking naps throughout the day, since sleeping through the night had become a thing of the past. He was also on voluntary bed rest, at Neal's suggestion. Matt had said that Kurt could do whatever he felt up to doing, as long as he was comfortable. Neal, however, had some advice for Kurt. No offense to his doctor boyfriend, but _he_ was the one that had given birth to their two kids, and figured he knew a thing or two about being pregnant.

As it was all voluntary, Kurt wasn't just restricted to staying in bed all day. When he wasn't in their bedroom, he took over the couch in the living room to nap and to feel a part of whatever was going on with the rest of the family. Blaine often napped with Kurt. Blaine always felt guilty if he was sleeping while Kurt was dealing with insomnia, so the couple either slept together or stayed awake together.

Blaine knelt next to the couch and just smiled at his boyfriend. He fell back when he heard an amused voice say, "It's not nice to stare at someone while they're sleeping."

Blaine was trying to slow down his heartbeat as Kurt opened his eyes and smirked at him. "I really hate it when you do that. How did you know I was here?"

Kurt laughed and tried to sit up, saying, "I'm a ninja, honey, don't forget that." Blaine rolled his eyes and helped Kurt sit up on the couch. "And I've told you before - the staring thing was cute the first few times; it gets creepy after a while."

"Sorry, but you're so cute to look at."

"Sap. So what did you guys do today? Your pants look like they've been digging around a basement."

"Storage unit, actually. Burt mentioned that Cooper had left some stuff for me, so while we were out, we stopped and picked it up."

Kurt's eyes flew wide, "I'm so sorry! I totally forgot about that! I told Dad to put those boxes there, at least until we knew what we were doing."

"Calm down. Burt already explained it to me, and it's not a problem. I haven't looked through them yet, but it looks like it's books, movies, and sheet music I left behind. By the way, your OCD is impressive; I mean - the storage unit, really?"

Kurt blushed, "There's nothing wrong with being organized. Who says that a storage unit has to be a hot mess?"

* * *

While Blaine was entertaining Kurt, Tina and Mercedes had left, leaving Finn and Burt to talk to Carole, who had just gotten home. Carole was impressed at what Burt and the boys had come up with in regards to the baby shower. She grabbed a notepad and started jotting down notes. So far, they had furniture to clean up, clothes to sort through, walls to paint, shopping to do, and the shower itself to plan. As she was trying to think of what else they needed to worry about, Finn asked a question that had been bothering him.

"Hey Mom?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"Are we allowed at the baby shower? The guys I mean?" Carole and Burt looked at each other before refocusing on Finn.

"Why wouldn't you be, Finn?"

Finn bit his lip as he tried to think of a good way to ask, "Well, aren't baby showers a girls only thing? I though guys weren't allowed to go."

"Typically, yes, it's a girls thing. However, it's not uncommon for the father-to-be to have a party of his own. Somehow, I don't think we'll have a problem having all of you here at the same time. Since when do we do anything normal anyway? It'll be one big party."

Finn brightened up considerably, "Really? Awesome! Do we get to have cake?"

* * *

Kurt didn't like to think of himself as paranoid, but everyone was starting to freak him out.

Kurt started to suspect something was going on a few days later. He'd noticed the hushed conversations, not just from his family, but from all of his friends. Jeff and Brittany were bouncier than usual, which Kurt didn't think was possible. Finn seemed antsy; Nick and Blaine had started to act like they were spies; the rest of the guys just weren't talking to him; and all of the girls would giggle and get quiet when he was around.

He became doubly suspicious when he woke up one day to a smiling Blaine and a packed bag.

"Going somewhere, Blaine?"

"Not me - you. The girls have organized a sleepover and they are kidnapping you. They even got some of the Silvertones to come over."

"How in the hell did they manage that? Rachel and Becky were almost at each other's throats the last time they were in the same room."

"Becky got a hold of Rachel and asked for a truce on behalf of the Crawford girls. Becky, Danielle and Marcia are officially graduated and leave for school soon, and they want a major sleepover with you and the girls. You've made quite the impression. I packed an overnight bag for you. Tina should be here shortly to drive you over, and you'll be brought back tomorrow afternoon."

"It sounds like it'll be fun...I take it I don't have a choice?"

Blaine grinned sheepishly, "Not really, but if you don't want to stay, I'm a phone call away." _Although that would __**really **__mess up the big surprise, _he thought.

Kurt sighed as he heard the doorbell. "As long as I have that option, which I most likely will not need. I guess I'll see you later then?"

"Most definitely." As soon as Tina and Kurt drove away, Blaine whipped out his phone and sent out a mass text.

**Mama Bear is out of the house. Operation Baby's Room is on!**

_That is such a lame name dude! _Blaine rolled his eyes at Puck's response.

**Does it really matter what we call it? It's not like we're playing one of your video games.**

_It should at least sound cool. That's all I'm saying._

**Can you just go pick up some of the guys please, and get your ass over here?**

_Calm down Shorty. Be there soon._ Blaine sighed, _it's gonna be a long day._

* * *

While Kurt was spending some quality time with the girls, it was up to the boys to transform the spare bedroom into a nursery. Burt and Carole were at work, so it was left to Blaine, Finn, Puck, Mike, Sam, Artie, Jeff, Nick, Wes, David, Trent, Beatz, and Thad to get things done. They had devised a 'divide and conquer' approach because they had a lot to do and not all that much time to do it in. All of the furniture was fixed up, and everything that was in the storage unit that was deemed usable had been sorted, washed and cleaned.

Kurt wasn't lying when he said that pink wasn't part of the color scheme, however he didn't say pink was going to be avoided entirely. A lot of the clothing that was in storage was for a baby girl and had never been used. Considering Kurt was originally said to be a girl, that hadn't been a big surprise to anyone. Burt had told the boys that Kurt had seen most of the clothing a long time ago, back when the unit had been organized, so putting that stuff in the dresser wouldn't be much of an issue.

That's not to say that they were putting everything away; they were still having a party and Kurt should have a few presents to open. Carole said that opening up presents consisting of diapers and baby powder wasn't all that exciting, so she suggested that when they set up the changing table, to stock it up, so that it was all set and ready to go.

Finn, Puck, Beatz, and David were going to take care of painting. While that was being done, Blaine, Jeff and Mike were in Kurt's room folding clothes and organizing them into the dresser, as well as sorting through toys and other things that were found in the boxes.

The rest of the guys were downstairs making plans for the party the following day. Wes, Artie, and Thad were in charge of the food and had to figure out who was making what, and what needed to be bought. Even though Kurt was the connoisseur of the kitchen, he wasn't the only one capable of making food. Trent, Sam and Nick were looking up baby shower games and planning a trip to the party store for decorations and supplies.

Burt and Carole were amazed at the progress the boys had made when they got home. The nursery was painted and set up according to Kurt's blueprint and looked amazing. Since they'd done so well, they were rewarded pizza for dinner as a job well done. The guys had mutually agreed that since all of the girls - and Kurt - were having a sleepover, that they would too, although it didn't last quite as long as they expected it to. One by one, they started dropping like flies, and by ten forty-five that night, not one person was awake.

And who could blame them? They'd accomplished a lot in a few hours, only leaving the decorating for them to take care of in the morning.

* * *

While the men were hard at work, Kurt was enjoying his time with the ladies. He hadn't believed Blaine when he said that some of the Silvertones were going to be here with the New Directions girls. But he'd been pleasantly surprised to see that everyone was getting along...for the most part. He was convinced that had Rachel and Becky met under different circumstances, they would've been the best of friends. However, it looked like they would be maintaining the status of 'frenemies' instead.

It was interesting to see everyone interact with each other. They had met briefly at Sectionals, but after hearing about each other from Kurt, they had all demanded to meet properly. Since then, the girls took turns driving between Crawford and McKinley to hang out. A lot of the time was spent complaining about their boyfriends and school, but they made time to have their own sing-offs as well.

Michelle and Mercedes had the same taste in music, and both had a talent for being powerhouse singers. Quinn, Brittany, Santana, Kim, and Melissa were all cheerleaders and insanely competitive. Tina connected well with Marcia and Danielle, as they had similar personalities and sometimes preferred hanging out in the background. All in all, Kurt was grateful that everyone had someone else to talk and/or relate to, especially when there were problems that needed an outsider to vent with.

Kurt was having a great time with them, but something was nagging at him. Everyone was acting like they were hiding something, everyone being the Warblers, New Directions, Silvertones, and his parents. Kurt knew something was up when he'd called Burt to tell him that he'd been kidnapped and wasn't being returned until the following day, as he was totally fine with it. That meant Burt was in on whatever was going on. Blaine had been too eager for him to leave, and Kurt had been unable to get ahold of anyone for details.

Of course: the one time he needs gossip or a mole, and there was no one available.

Kurt eventually decided not to worry about it, and started to enjoy himself. He was determined to have a good time, even though he was suspicious of everyone. Even _Brittany_ was being tight-lipped, which stunned Kurt, though it didn't prevent her from cuddling up to him the way Jeff usually did. He didn't know who was more fascinated with the baby bump: Jeff or Brittany.

_Oh well,_ he thought, _I guess I'll find out tomorrow. I should probably enjoy the freedom while it lasts. In a few weeks, I'll have a little girl to look after._

* * *

Carole thought getting the boys up the next morning was going to be a challenge. She jumped when nine o' clock rolled around and she started to hear phones ringing in the living room. She focused on breakfast, figuring it was just some text messages, and was surprised when Blaine and Nick walked into the kitchen.

"Morning you two. I didn't expect anyone up this early. I'm making breakfast and the first pot of coffee should be done."

"Thanks Carole. Don't be startled if you hear more phones go off; we set staggered alarms, so that everyone is up by ten. We wanted to have enough time to set up, decorate, cook and clean up before the girls come back with Kurt at one."

"I saw your checklist. And I have to say, the nursery looks fantastic. Burt had to go to the shop for a little bit, but he'll be back shortly. He appreciates the help with his special project. All of you did an amazing job yesterday. It's no surprise you all passed out last night."

Nick yawned as he took a seat at the table. "I don't think any of us expected to fall asleep as quick as we did. We were going to watch a movie, I think, but I don't remember if we ever did." Nick accepted a cup of coffee from Blaine, and laughed as he watched him savor his cup like it was the best thing ever. "It's just coffee, Blaine. You act like you haven't had it in ages."

"Shut up, Nicky. Granted, it hasn't been _that_long, but I don't drink it around Kurt. If I do, I brush my teeth twice and use mouthwash."

"If you really think that works, keep doing that. Kurt's known you've been sneaking it for months, but he appreciates the sentiment." Blaine looked up to see as David walked into the room. "That barista at the Lima Bean you guys like, let it slip a while ago, but Kurt just laughed it off. He doesn't know how long you lasted without it, but he thinks it's adorable that you've kept up the act." Carole and Nick snorted in amusement, while Blaine dropped his head on the table and groaned.

Finn and Jeff walked in and just looked confused. "What's wrong with Blaine?"

"David told him Kurt knows about the secret coffee runs."

Blaine felt the need to defend himself. "You say it like I've been doing it all along. I'll have you know, I made it until a little bit through the second trimester before I caved."

Jeff interrupted, "Not to make it worse, but he's known since Regionals. Don't worry about it. Whether you know it or not, he's the one that's been eating your red vines, so I say you're even." Blaine just groaned again.

* * *

Even though Kurt enjoyed spending time with the girls, he was ready to go home. He was still trying to get something out of one of them; especially since the closer they got to his house, the antsier they got. It was slowly starting to irritate him. When his house finally came into view, Kurt sighed in relief. He brightened up considerably when he saw his boyfriend waiting for him outside. Blaine walked up to the car and opened the door the moment Tina parked.

Kurt pulled Blaine into a hug, "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

"Aw, did you miss me? The girls took care of you, right?" Blaine distracted Kurt with a kiss, motioning with his hand for the girls to go ahead into the house.

"Of course I did, and yes it was fun, although as happy as I was to get out of the house, I am so happy to be back." Kurt noticed the silence and realized that all of the girls had disappeared. "Where'd they all go?"

"Probably into the house. The guys decided that they wanted a sleepover too, so the couples are probably hooking up in the living room. Shall I escort you in?" Blaine asked. Kurt blushed and agreed, allowing Blaine to help him out of the car and grab his bag.

"You know, the girls were acting very giddy yesterday, and it just got worse the closer we got home. Any idea why?" Kurt asked.

"Nope. I thought that's how they usually acted." Blaine closed the car door and glanced at the house, seeing Carole in the window giving a thumbs up. "How about we head inside? There's something we want to show you." Blaine didn't give Kurt time to think about it, and before Kurt knew it, they were opening the front door.

"SURPRISE!" Kurt jumped and his jaw dropped. The living room had been decorated and was bursting with not only all of the glee kids, but Matt and his family as well. Kurt started to tear up and looked at Blaine in shock.

"What is all this?"

"Baby shower - you didn't think we weren't going to have one, did you?" Blaine steered Kurt over to the couch and watched as Jeff quickly claimed his usual spot, though left room for Burt and Carole to hug Kurt.

"What do you think, kid? Surprised?" asked Burt. He started to get worried as Kurt started to cry. "Hey, what's with the tears?"

"Sorry, I can't help it. This is incredible. How did you all do this?"

Carole spoke, "All of the kids put it together. They've been working on it for the past week. It's not easy to keep something this big from leaking. You should be proud of them; I though Finn or Brittany were going to give it away."

"At least I know why you've all been acting like you were hiding something. I was starting to get really paranoid."

Blaine came over and linked his arms around Kurt from behind, "Well don't worry about any of that. We've got food, games and presents to take care of."

* * *

The shower was declared a success. Everyone enjoyed the food and the games, and the presents had been opened and mysteriously put away. Kurt was curious as to where they'd been taken to, but he was struggling to stay awake. Blaine noticed and knew that the party needed to start winding down, but before everyone left, the biggest surprise still needed to be taken care of.

"You're due for a nap, aren't you?"

"I'd love to say no, but then I'd be lying. A nap sounds awesome right now, but I don't want to just tell everyone to go away. That's rude."

Blaine smiled and said, "How about I take care of that? Nobody is gonna make a fuss about having to leave. You sit tight and stay awake long enough to say goodbye." Blaine got up and went over to the adults to let them know that it was time to start kicking people out. Luckily, it didn't take much convincing, as Blaine wasn't the only one that had noticed Kurt's wavering attention. Slowly everyone said their goodbyes and took their leave, until it was just Kurt, Blaine, Finn, Carole, and Burt.

Blaine made his way back to Kurt, who was moving to get off of the couch. "There's one more thing we want to show you, and don't worry, it's on the way to our room. Think you can stay up a few more minutes?" Kurt looked skeptical but nodded anyway. Burt, Carole, and Finn followed the couple upstairs, though it was hard to tell who was more excited. Kurt was led to the spare bedroom and instantly became curious.

"Blaine? What are we doing here?"

"Close your eyes." Blaine opened the door and pulled Kurt into the room. "Okay - open." Kurt opened his eyes and gasped. He didn't bother holding the tears back this time and just took in the room. The walls were a light purple color, with a stencil along the trim. The furniture looked familiar and different at the same time.

It looked exactly like the outline from his baby book.

All of a sudden, the past week or so made sense. His book going missing; the girls snooping for details; the surprise trip to the storage unit; all of it. But the best part was the one item that was in the corner by the window. Kurt couldn't believe it was there.

His mother's rocking chair.

Kurt remembered sitting on Elizabeth's lap and being able to go to sleep while she read him a story. The chair had been abandoned for a little while after she died, but it held so many memories that they didn't get rid of it. However, Kurt remembered the arm breaking off and the chair disappearing not long after.

So how was it here?

Burt saw how emotional Kurt was getting and hugged Kurt from behind, before gently pushing him into the chair. Kurt knew it was the same one, but it had been cleaned up and repaired. He looked up at Burt, hoping for an explanation.

"Dad - how -"

"I never got rid of it. I couldn't. When the arm broke off, I almost threw it out, but it felt wrong to do that. I got it fixed and stashed it at your Aunt Mildred's house for safe keeping. Made sense to bring it in here. After all, every nursery needs a reliable rocking chair." Carole, Finn and Blaine kept to the side while Burt spoke to Kurt. Burt had explained to them that the rocking chair was given to Elizabeth from her father, who died when Kurt was barely three. By this point, it was basically an heirloom - and you don't just toss out heirlooms.

Burt had been watching the emotions on Kurt's face and was shocked to see one emotion in particular. He didn't get to ask as Kurt spoke up first.

"Dad, I'm so sorry." Kurt looked crushed as he stared at Burt. "I really thought you trashed it, especially after it broke. I was angry at you for a long time about it. I tried asking about it, but we went through that patch where we weren't really connecting with each other, so I gave up asking. I knew deep down that it had to be safe somewhere, but I couldn't get my head to understand that."

Burt gave up holding back his tears, "You don't have anything to be sorry about. I know things got tough for the two of us for a while, but all that matters is that we're better now and that this chair is back where it belongs. I know that you'll treat it right and your baby girl is gonna love it as much as we do."

* * *

After seeing the finished nursery and regaining a piece of his childhood, Kurt was exhausted. He sent a mass text out to everyone, thanking them for everything, and had hugged his brother and parents before climbing into bed. Blaine followed him in and easily wrapped his arms around him, hoping that Kurt was finally cried out. He thought he was asleep when Kurt spoke up.

"Blaine?"

"Yeah, Kurt?"

"Thank you, and I don't just mean the shower or the nursery, either. I don't know what I'd do without you, what _we'd_ do without you. I love you."

"I love you too. Get some rest, honey, I know you need it. I'll wake you up in a little bit." Kurt was asleep after Blaine said 'l love you too'.


	12. 41 Weeks

**We had Hurricane Irene at the end of the summer last year. I live in Southern NJ, and we had some flooding, power outages, and they actually evacuated most of the people that lived at the shore. However, we ended up in better shape than the rest of NJ and upstate NY.**

**Now since I couldn't find a straight answer about how wide the storm got as it moved north, we're going to pretend it reached Ohio, for the sake of the plot. And if anyone who reads this had to deal with Irene or any of the storms last summer and could give me any info, feel free to let me know. If you personally had to deal with any of it, I won't be going into detail; just using a real storm to cause a few problems for our favorite Glee clubs.**

**This is part 1 of 3 of the 'here comes baby' arc.**

* * *

41 weeks.

To Kurt, that was several weeks too long. When he had gone for a scan at 32 weeks, Dr. Matt said that the chances of him making it to full term were unlikely, simply because most first-time, young moms-to-be usually delivered early. That, and the fact that his baby girl had been a pretty decent size then, and Matt wasn't sure how well Kurt's body would hold up if she got too big...which was saying something, considering he himself had already gained almost 35 pounds at that point.

Well, Kurt had surpassed expectations - again. He was a week overdue, tired, achy, and irritated. Blaine and the Warblers, as well as Finn and the rest of the New Directions, had been trying to keep his spirits up, but it was getting difficult.

He couldn't get up - from anywhere - without help. He spent half the day in the bathroom, whether it was because Baby Hummel was on his bladder or just simply to soak in the bathtub. He spent the other half of the day sleeping, or cuddling with Blaine. Finn had become a big help too; he definitely won the award for 'best brother ever', especially since without Finn's help, Kurt would have been stuck upstairs in his bedroom. Blaine was incredible, but Finn was better able to get Kurt from one floor to another.

There was one thing that annoyed and freaked out Kurt the most: contractions. He'd been having 'kind-of-constant' Braxton-Hicks contractions for the last 6 weeks. He never knew when they were coming and how long they would stick around for, and they were starting to piss him off.

Needless to say, Kurt was over being pregnant. He did get some good news a few days ago, though: his daughter had three more days before she would be born, whether she was ready to come out or not. Kurt would be lying if he said he wasn't counting down to D-Day.

And talking to Neal had been helping - until a few weeks ago. Neal had offered every suggestion he could think of that could induce labor, to no avail. The only he didn't suggest was sex, for obvious reasons. He knew that he and Blaine hadn't gotten that far yet, and though he also realized that Kurt was getting desperate, getting intimate for the first time just to start labor wasn't the way to go.

When Kurt had hit 35 weeks, Matt started to get anxious on Kurt's behalf. When he hit 38 weeks, he was apprehensive to see Kurt because he had been way off the expected date. Once week 41 hit, Matt was afraid to see or talk to Kurt. He had been threatened castration from not only Kurt but Neal. Neal didn't understand why Matt hadn't just admitted Kurt and induced him, at least to get the ball rolling. Matt was able to explain to them both that induction in males hadn't been met with good results.

Over the last few years, it was better to just wait out the pregnancy and induce as a last resort. The drugs that did the job for women didn't react well with males, and often caused complications for the babies. With the rate for a successful male induction at only 23%, it wasn't worth the risk to try. The fact that the younger the male, the worse the effects, also didn't help.

But Matt had given Baby Hummel three more days. If she wasn't out by her own accord, well, then he'd have to be a bit more persuasive.

* * *

Today was another humid summer day. It was one of those days where Kurt was infinitely grateful for air conditioning. He was also grateful for his stepbrother, his boyfriend, and their friends. Both the DW and the ND had been planning a summer party.

The party was going to be held at Wes' house - two weeks ago.

Of course, that was when everyone was hoping for Baby Girl to make her appearance in late June, as initially expected. The thing that sucked the most was that everything had been planned out. Wes had a big house and a pool. Burt and Carole would watch their new granddaughter so Kurt could go. Everyone was bringing food and supplies, and they had mutually agreed to no alcohol, but that would remain to be seen.

However, it would seem that Kurt's daughter was already training to be a diva.

Since Kurt was still pregnant, they pushed the party up to July - thinking they'd have a baby by then - although Kurt was reconsidering the 'no alcohol idea' at this point. Everyone was unwilling to risk being on their own if Kurt were to go into labor. Kurt had faith in Finn, Blaine, and Puck - they had come to his lamaze and baby classes with him. It was both as a safety precaution, as well as an educational experience...once Puck and Finn got over the terror of horrible delivery stories.

Kurt still couldn't believe what those three had done for him. Whenever he thought about it, he started tearing up. The three of them were behind him from day one. When they said that they were taking the midwifery classes, Kurt was floored. Never in a million years would he have believed that self-proclaimed badass Noah Puckerman and quarterback Finn Hudson would ever want to run the chance of having to get that close. Blaine already had first aid and CPR training, so it wasn't as surprising.

But they were realistic: they were teenagers with no **real** experience in regards to childbirth, hence inviting Matt, Neal, and their kids, since Burt and Carole wouldn't be around that day either.

So, everyone was waiting - quite impatiently - for Baby Girl Hummel to finally make an appearance. But of course, they should've expected what would be happening in the next couple of days.

Since they weren't able to party at Wes' house, both glee clubs decided to bring the party to Lima. However there was a small snag. Burt and Carole had been invited to Cincinnati for a wedding and had already planned on making the trip down. They were leaving first thing in the morning and would spend the whole day there, with the promise of getting back in late. They were hesitant on going, but knew that Matt and Neal were a phone call away. Not to mention that Blaine, Finn, and Puck knew what to do in the event their granddaughter decided to make an entrance.

After making sure the boys would be able to survive the day without them, Burt and Carole made their way out of the house. They pulled out of the driveway and the house was quiet - for about a minute.

"Party time!"

"Seriously Finn? It's too early to be yelling. Besides Kurt is still sleeping, and I for one would like to keep it that way."

"Sorry Blaine…maybe he didn't hear me?"

Blaine just raised an eyebrow.

"...yeah, I'm just gonna make some tea or something…" Finn left Blaine on the stairs and quietly made his way into the kitchen.

Blaine let out a little laugh and made his way back to Kurt's room. He neglected to tell Finn that if Kurt had heard him, it would have proven Kurt had super-awesome hearing. The reason for that: Blaine had put headphones on Kurt before he went to say goodbye to Burt and Carole. He figured Finn would get a little excited at the idea of a free house, and since Kurt didn't sleep well last night - as usual - Blaine was going to do whatever he could to let him sleep.

"OW! Damnit that's hot!"

Blaine remembered, belatedly, that there was one big rule of the house: don't leave Finn unsupervised in the kitchen. He did have to admit Finn was improving, a little bit. Hoping that Kurt would stay knocked out for a while yet, Blaine made his way into the kitchen.

"Finn, you okay?"

"Ah, yeah, I'm good. Lost my grip on the teapot and spilled some water. You wanna cup too? There's still some coffee left if you wanna sneak some. I won't tell Kurt."

"Nah, tea's fine, thanks...I'm still surprised that you've been staying away from coffee too. You didn't have to."

"It's not a big deal. I'm not as big a fan as you and Kurt are, but it sucks that he hasn't been able to drink it for a while."

"Is Puck coming over soon? I'll leave the res t for him."

"Yeah, he'll appreciate that. You want breakfast? I can make some toast...oh yeah - bagels!"

Blaine left Finn to do the bagels while he grabbed some stuff from the fridge. Kurt still got a little queasy at the smell of cooking eggs, but he was okay once they were done, so he was taking advantage of a sleeping Kurt and started cooking.

* * *

Puck showed up ten minutes later, thankful for the coffee, and volunteered to see if Kurt was up and in the mood for breakfast. Besides Finn, Puck was the only other person who could singlehandedly get Kurt up or down the stairs.

Puck went up to Kurt's room and knocked on the door before slowly making his way inside. He walked up to the other side of the bed and noticed the headphones on the side table. He knelt next to the bed and looked at Kurt, wondering how to best wake up sleeping beauty.

"It's not nice to stare, Puckerman."

Puck jumped and fell back in shock, while Kurt laughed at him.

"Damnit Princess - how many times have I told you not to do that?"

"And how many times have I told you not to stare?" Kurt rolled his eyes, "I suppose Blaine and Finn have breakfast ready?"

"Almost, and I am your escort for today."

"I'm honored," quipped Kurt. "Bathroom first though...help me up, please?"

"Quit it with the puppy face...you do realize that if your kid does that half as well as you, we're all screwed right? I can't take it for long from you. It's gonna be ten times worse from a little girl."

"Should tell that to Sarah. It's her fault that my 'puppy face' has improved so much."

Puck muttered to himself, "I should've known...thank you little sister." Puck made the bed and grabbed a few things from the corner of the room while waiting for Kurt to get back. Before they could eat, they had to do something first: a mini exam. Since finding out at the last appointment that Kurt was almost three centimeters dilated, they needed to check Kurt, as well as the baby's position, just to see how close they were to having a baby. Unfortunately, he'd been almost three centimeters for three days.

Best part about it: it was equally embarrassing.

"Do you mind if I do your daily torture? I promise breakfast afterwards."

Kurt huffed, "Do we have to? I don't know which of us hates it more."

"It equally sucks. You don't like anybody looking, and I totally get that. I don't like looking either. One, the only reason I do it is because Finn is your brother and Blaine is your dapper boyfriend. And two, I don't like making you uncomfortable, and I don't know what could make you more uncomfortable than me having to do this."

"Having Finn do this would be worse, believe me."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Puck and Kurt made their way down to the kitchen. Finn and Blaine had just finished putting the dishes onto the table. Blaine looked up at Kurt with a smile, until he saw the pout on his face.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I'm only three."

"What?" asked Finn and Blaine.

"Three freakin' centimeters...that's it." Kurt sat at the table and put his head in his hands. "She's never coming out is she?"

Blaine walked behind Kurt and started rubbing his shoulders. "She has to come out eventually, and she will."

Puck sat across from Kurt and grabbed a bagel, "Blaine's right, Kurt, and you're more like three and a half...that sounds better doesn't it?"

"Not really; ten would be better. No, I lied. Baby would be better."

Blaine felt bad for his boyfriend. He wrapped his arms around Kurt and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "That's enough moping for now. Eat something - I made pancakes...you love my pancakes." He made to sit down next to Kurt, when he felt a death grip on his arm. He looked down at Kurt who had his other hand against his bump and his eyes closed. "Kurt?"

Kurt let out a shaky breath before answering, "Son of a bitch, that hurt. I think she just did a freakin' backflip or something, and during a contraction, too."

Puck and Finn glanced at each other, before going back to their plates, knowing that Blaine could handle Kurt right now. They had learned over the last few weeks that when it came to contractions, shifts, and pains, it was best to let Blaine work his magic in regards to getting Kurt to come back to himself. Blaine became Kurt's main source of support, and was the only one who could consistently get Kurt from a state of shock to a state of calm.

Blaine waited to see if Kurt was gonna have another contraction. Since Kurt had loosened his grip, he figured it was safe to finally sit down, not letting go of his hand, and shimmied the chair closer to Kurt. He had finally opened his eyes, but was still taking deep breaths while rubbing his belly. When he let out a final sigh, Kurt turned and leaned his head onto Blaine's shoulder.

"Thanks Blaine...I wasn't expecting that one at all. She usually moves after a check-up, but not quite like that. Is that even normal?"

"I could tell. Was that your first one this morning? You didn't move much last night."

"I think I had a couple during the night, but they weren't strong enough to fully wake me up. That one was the second one since I woke up, but the strongest one so far. I think I'm good now - I want some pancakes, please."

And cue the puppy face.

_Yep, if the kid can pull that face off, we're screwed, _thought Puck and Finn.

_I need to work on my puppy eyes, _thought Blaine, as he put food on Kurt's plate.

"Did Mom and Dad leave okay this morning? How long did it take them to leave? I didn't hear them go."

Another development over the last few months was Finn and Kurt mutually deciding to refer to both of their parents as Mom and Dad. Finn really never knew his dad so it wasn't as hard for him, but he waited until Kurt was able to call Carole 'mom'. They could never forget Christopher and Elizabeth, but Burt and Carole were there for them now. And they really liked being able to say 'mom' and 'dad', respectively.

Finn nodded at Kurt, "Once they had everything together, it still took them an extra 15 minutes-ish or so. Dad said something about driving towards a storm or something, so we should keep an eye out. Mom said she'd call when they get there."

Puck decided to throw his two cents in as well, "Yeah, it supposed to be a nasty system coming up the coast from the storm, what's it called, Irene?"

"Yeah, last I heard, it's no longer a hurricane but there are some storm systems brewing from edge of the main cell. Big reason why it's so dark and humid outside. It'll probably be one hell of a storm either way."

Finn stared at Blaine, "That doesn't sound good at all. Is it safe to be driving in that?"

"Burt and Carole will be fine; more than likely, they'll beat the storm down there. They'll be inside the whole time anyway. Carole said that the ceremony and reception were back to back in the same place, so they'll see some rain en route, but won't be in the storm. They did warn us to be careful though, since everyone is coming over here for the party, which we still need to set up, by the way."

Kurt looked at the three boys and asked, "When is everyone coming anyway? Should we have them come over earlier so they aren't driving in the storm either? Most of the Warblers live between 25-45 minutes from here."

Blaine smiled at Kurt, "Already taken care of. I called Wes; he got the guys to sleep over at his place last night, saves him from having to drive all over to pick them up. He's bringing Nick, Jeff, Trent, David, Beatz, and Thad. Should be here in the next hour or two."

Puck looked confused, "They coming in one car? Doesn't Wes have a compact car? Is somebody riding in the trunk or on the roof?"

Blaine replied, "Where do you think the Navigator is? Wes has Kurt's car; it just made more sense for them to be able to come in one car. Otherwise the seven of them would be coming in three cars."

Kurt sighed in relief, "I get to see my car again. I've missed that monster."

Finn raised an eyebrow, "Dude - you haven't been able to drive it in months." Kurt glared at Finn.

"It's still my car, Finn. I trust Wes with it, and the Warblers learned the hard way when it comes to treating cars with the respect they deserve."

Puck saw the evil grin on his face, "Okay, there has to be a story behind that look. Did they do something to your car or was it one of theirs?"

"I love those boys to death, but not knowing how to check your fluids or change a tire is a travesty. None of them had the faintest idea of what to do, except for Blaine. I mean, seriously, I taught all of the ND girls, what, a year ago? Even Brittany knows how."

"That still doesn't explain the look of evil on your face."

"Let's just say that they got real life experience on a dark night, in the middle of nowhere, with no cell phone."

"That sounds like a horror story."

"Trust me - it got the point across." From the look of evil glee on his face, Puck decided to ask the warblers once they got there. He needed to hear this story.

"Ask the guys after everyone gets here...what about the rest of New Directions?"

Finn replied, "Everyone got a text to get a move on and should be showing up around the same time as the Warblers. They're all carpooling too."

"Mike is driving Artie, Tina, Brittany, and Santana in Artie's van. Sam, Mercedes, Quinn, and Rachel are coming in a car together. It works out pretty well; everyone fits in the driveway."

* * *

Once breakfast was taken care of, Kurt decided on taking a shower and getting dressed. Blaine suggested that he relax on the couch, but said he'd rather be ready for guests first; he knew he was going to fall asleep if he laid down now.

"Kurt, no one is going to care how you look. All of us are enjoying the pajama/carefree look while we can."

"Blaine, I get that, really I do. But I haven't had much of a reason lately to even _attempt_ to look fabulous for any reason than for a doctor's appointment, and I spend most of that time undressed anyway. So, I'm going upstairs to take a shower, whether you like it or not, before putting on something that looks awesome.

"Chances are by the time I get upstairs, I'm going to start crying at the realization that I don't have anything left to wear, but those ridiculously comfy pants I hate, and that any attempts at doing my hair will just be too tiring. We're having a Dalton/McKinley bash and I'm 41 weeks pregnant; please just let me at least try."

Blaine could see how frustrated Kurt was about the whole thing. Even just by listening, you could tell that even though he had a plan, he was already resigned to the fact that it was more than likely going to blow up in his face. Well, this Warbler was going to do whatever it took to make Kurt happy.

A quick peck on the cheek and an "of course, babe, whatever you want" was enough to keep the tears at bay, at least till they got upstairs. _One step at a time, just go with it Anderson, _thought Blaine. _He still feels bad that the party had to be moved and relocated because of him. Let him do what he wants for a change, enough with saying no._

While Puck and Finn were left to clean up the kitchen and start getting ready for the party, Blaine and Kurt made their way upstairs. Blaine needed to shower, too; he was still in his tank top and sleep pants. Blaine made his way towards the dresser, still intent on getting Kurt to just wear what he knew fit him. There wasn't much left in his wardrobe that still fit.

"So what outfit do you have in mind, Kurt? I personally think you wear those stretchy pants well. You have to admit, they are comfy... Kurt?"

Blaine turned around when he didn't get a response, just to see Kurt staring at himself in the mirror. Blaine walked behind Kurt and wrapped his arms around his bump, gently pulling Kurt against his chest.

"Talk to me Kurt. What's going on in that head of yours? What's wrong?"

Kurt leaned back and nestled into Blaine's neck, and sighed. "I'm sorry about being so bitchy…"

"Kurt, you're not being bitchy, trust me, I know the difference between your 'bitch, please' look and your 'emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed' look. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"

Kurt had to admit, that was pretty funny. "You're amazing, Blaine."

"I know I am...but so are you. I can't think of anyone that would've handled everything the way you have. I know you're tired, and achy, and hell, we all want the baby to come out just as badly as you." That at least garnered a smirk. "But no matter what happens, you just have to remember that we're all here for you...that and we'll have a little girl in a few days."

Blaine smiled into Kurt's hair, as he felt him start to relax. "Feel better now?" A nod for yes. "Then how about that shower? It'll feel really good on your back. And when you get out your comfy pants will be waiting for you."

"You can say it Blaine - maternity pants. There, I finally said it."

_Only took you the whole pregnancy, _thought Blaine, _maybe next time he'll adjust sooner. Wait...next time? Where'd that idea come from? _While Blaine was in a daze, Kurt made his way into the bathroom for his shower.

* * *

_I never wanna get out...this feels __**sooo **__good right now._

Kurt was thoroughly enjoying the hot water on his back. It was one of the only things that helped the back aches: hot water, heating pads, and Blaine (the boy was a furnace on his own and felt great when they cuddled). He was getting ready to get out when he felt another contraction, only this one was worse than earlier.

Kurt grabbed the towel rod in the bathroom to keep upright, kept the water pressure on his back, and just breathed through the pain. Just when he thought it was going to get worse, the pain just seemed to melt away from him. He had to admit, it hurt like hell, but it felt like the pressure on his belly was lighter somehow. He slowly let go of the shower rod and straightened himself.

_That's strange. That didn't feel like the last few contractions I've had...oh well, I'm certainly not gonna complain about a __**lack**__ of pain._

Little did Kurt realize that lack of pain wouldn't be lasting for long.


	13. Party Time

_****_******This is part 2 of 3 of the 'here comes baby' arc.**

_**Party Time**_

* * *

"I should listen to you more often, Blaine. That shower felt amazing."

Blaine couldn't believe his eyes. It was as if Kurt had done a complete 180. He didn't want to say anything to ruin the mood, but he couldn't _not_ say how much better he looked.

"If I knew you were gonna look so happy after a 20 minute shower, I would've sent you in there earlier. You look more relaxed already - and we haven't even started the party yet. You're gonna make Jeff and Nick cry."

Kurt raised an eyebrow at that. "And why would my good mood make Niff upset? I thought a good mood was better than my unpredictable, and often unreasonable, bouts of depression."

"Oh, believe me, we all appreciate the lack of 'depressed Kurt', but those two had several plans in mind to cheer you up...and if you don't need any more cheering up by the time they get here, I don't know what they may do. You know how those two are - sometimes they're more diva than you, which is a hard thing to do."

"I could always pretend to be in a bad mood and let them 'help' for a little bit. Nick I can handle, but I can't deal with a pouty Jeff. He's good at making you feel guilty."

"Just keep that in mind when you see them, I suppose. In the meantime, I'm gonna hop in the shower. Do you need help getting dressed?"

"...if you don't mind, at least with the socks and pants. I think I can handle the rest."

Now, even though Puck has done the most check-ups, Blaine and Finn had also seen more of Kurt than any of them would be willing to admit. In all actuality, the only one Kurt was really okay with seeing** all **of him was Blaine. Seriously, he was the boyfriend after all and no offense to Puck and Finn, but boyfriends trump friends and stepbrothers.

Blaine couldn't resist rubbing Kurt's belly before helping with the aforementioned socks and pants. Blaine was a little surprised, however, at how Kurt's belly felt. It didn't seem as 'squishy' as it did before.

But how to ask Kurt without flat out saying 'is it baby time?'

"Honey, have you had any more contractions since breakfast?"

"I had one right before I got out of the shower. It was kinda weird, though. It didn't feel like any of the last few I've had...it was more like a Braxton-Hicks - the ones that would start strong and sorta die off. I feel fine now. Why? Should I be less nonchalant and more concerned?"

Blaine didn't want to ruin the good mood so soon, but he wanted to play it safe. "Kurt, lay back for a second. I don't want to worry you, and please don't take this the wrong way. You're not as 'squishy' anymore."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "What the hell does that mean, Anderson? I haven't been 'squishy' as you put it for a few months now."

Blaine knew he had to word the next few things carefully. "Okay, 'squishy' isn't the right word...soft, maybe?" He was getting an evil look. "Kurt, do you remember what Matt said were signs of labor?"

"Yes, Blaine I do. What point are you trying to make here?"

"Give me your hand." Blaine figured actions would speak louder than words. He put Kurt's hand on his body, just under his abs, where he had that last little bit of body fat. "Feel how this is. You've been like this for most of the pregnancy, I know you've noticed. Now feel your bump." Blaine moved his hand to Kurt's lower belly. "Feel that? It's not soft like it was."

It was finally starting to click for Kurt. "I'm not in labor Blaine; I can't be in labor yet." Blaine saw the signs of panic and quickly tried to reassure Kurt. "I'm not saying you are in labor, but that you could be soon. We could still have plenty of time before she comes out. Panicking will get us nowhere; we just need to be proactive about this.

"We'll get you dressed and comfortable. I'm gonna take a quick shower. Then we'll get a plan in place. Are you cool with that?"

Kurt could only nod in agreement; he wasn't sure he could stay quiet if he opened his mouth. Blaine could see the underlying worry in his eyes and did the one thing that could placate him, for now: a soft, loving kiss.

"Everything will be fine. If you have another contraction, time it. You've had several since last night, but none were the same. When they start to sync up is the time for us to worry, not a minute before. I'll be right out." another kiss, and Blaine went to take one of the quickest showers ever.

Kurt had relaxed again after that second kiss, but couldn't help but wonder, _What if that contraction was my water breaking? I was in the _shower_; how would I have been able to tell the difference between water and amniotic fluid if they're both clear? I would've noticed if I was bleeding, and I wasn't._ Kurt resumed rubbing his belly and started talking to it.

"Baby girl, you are driving us crazy, and though we can't wait to meet you, we can manage a little longer, can't we? You're already late, so what's another day or two,huh?" Kurt slapped his forehead, _oh my god I'm trying to bargain with a baby who isn't here yet. Clearly I'm losing whatever sanity is left._

* * *

Meanwhile, Blaine was having a mini-freak-out in the shower.

_Everything's gonna be fine. Kurt's fine, the baby's fine, I know the weather isn't that great but no big deal, right? It's just rain. Sucks that Matt is working, but at least he'll be easy to find if we need him. And it's too bad Neal couldn't bring Casey and RJ because they're sick. He's done this twice, but we can easily call him too. Burt and Carole are away, but we can handle it._

_Right?_

_It could always be worse._

Blaine should really stop thinking negative thoughts.

* * *

Blaine walked back into the bedroom to find Kurt was still on the bed, but lying on his side. He could hear him whispering and from what he could make out, Kurt was bribing his daughter. He also noticed that it had started raining already.

"Is that working for you, Kurt?"

Kurt had the grace to blush; he didn't realize Blaine was out of the shower. "A little. She's not kicking hard or moving too much, maybe she's starting to feel bad for freaking us out."

"Any more contractions?" Blaine asked, as he sat behind Kurt on the bed. _Please say no._

"Not since the last one. I've been talking to her since you left and so far, so good. Maybe we'll be fine after all. No need to panic, right?"

Another kiss and, "Right. Now, are you ready to head back downstairs? Puck and Finn must be wondering where we are by now, and I'm sure you wanna see if they're playing video games or setting up."

"Yeah, let's go. Do we tell them - that I might be in labor?"

"I think we should. They will be helping if you are, and if you don't mention it, they'll beat me up for staying quiet. We don't have to say anything to anyone else, unless we have to...sound good?"

Kurt nodded in agreement, and then started to maneuver himself into a sitting position. "Actually, do you think you can ask them to come up here first?"

"Sure. I'll be right back."

While Blaine went downstairs to get Puck and Finn, a cell phone started ringing from the nightstand. Kurt didn't bother checking whose phone it was and just answered.

"Hello?"

"Kurt? It's Jeff...we're on the way there but we have a quick question."

"What's up?"

"David just got a call from the pizza place...they were asking if we would be able to pick up our order earlier than planned. They may have to close if the storm gets too bad - it's already pouring rather nicely out, if I do say so myself."

Kurt mentally smacked himself, "I totally forgot about the pizza...um, yeah if you have to, and don't mind picking it up that would be great. It's gonna suck not having hot pizza for later though. There's a slight chance that we could lose power - we won't be able to heat it up later."

"…I'll get back to you on that. Expect us within the next hour or so."

"Alright. See you soon."

Blaine, Finn, and Puck walked into the room, as Kurt hung up the phone. "Who was that, Kurt?"

"Jeff. They're picking up the pizzas now. The pizzeria is calling up the customers to see if they can pick-up orders early. Jeff said it's getting nasty out already, and that they'll be here in an hour." Kurt looked at Blaine and asked, "Did you tell them?'

"No, figured we could explain at the same time."

Puck and Finn glanced at each other, and then looked at Kurt and Blaine, "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

Kurt sighed and decided to just come right out and say it, "Guys, I think my water might've broken in the shower."

Two sets of jaws dropped. "Please tell me you're joking." "Princess, this isn't funny - I just checked you before breakfast!"

"I had another contraction in the shower. It hurt a lot more than the last few did, but I felt a lot better afterwards. Blaine pointed out that I'm not as 'squishy' " throws a look at Blaine, "and I can tell that she's not in the same position she was in before. She feels lower than earlier.

"Just thought we'd share that." Kurt sat back a little and stared at the boys to gauge their reactions.

Blaine couldn't help but laugh at their expressions. "Guys, she's not coming out right now...we definitely have a few hours at the very least. She might not even come out til tomorrow."

Kurt smirked at the still speechless boys. "I hope you don't stay this useless when I really need you later. How'd you two make out downstairs?"

Finn spoke up first. "We got the tables and chairs from the basement, grabbed the coolers from the garage, and we have tables set up for all of the snacks and supplies in the kitchen. Mike is bringing the ice. Rachel is bringing some stuff for herself. Everyone else is bringing snacks or games. And you said the guys are getting the pizzas...so I think that's everything."

"Well, I must say - I'm impressed. Nice job you two. Now, how about we head downstairs and wait for everyone to show up? We can hold the door open while they run in from the rain...on second thought, I need to pee first."

Blaine sat on the bed as Kurt made his way to the bathroom. The door had barely closed before Puck started to spaz.

"Dude, please tell me you're joking. She can't be born today. Tomorrow's fine, just not today."

"Seriously? Why would we joke about that? And you need to calm down. That's not helping anybody. Look at Finn - he isn't freaking out."

"Like hell I'm not freaking out! My niece has finally decided she's had enough and wants out, and she picks THE WORST DAY POSSIBLE! It's gonna just be us teenagers, no adults, no doctors, and more than likely, this storm is gonna be a bitch! How can YOU be so calm?" pointing at Blaine.

"Because you two are freaking out enough for the rest of us! Kurt didn't even realize that he could be in labor - you didn't see how he reacted when I told him he might be - he's been so miserable lately, he couldn't even tell the difference, until I showed him what I was talking about.

"So if you could just swallow any doubts you have right now, I'd appreciate it. You'll be no help for Kurt or the baby if you stay like this - and we'll need both of you. Do I make myself clear?"

He got two nods in response.

_Well, at least they're paying attention. Hopefully they can pull themselves together._

* * *

Ten minutes later found Kurt on the couch, while Finn and Blaine went to the garage for the emergency kit. The boys forgot about the increasing chances that they wouldn't have power in a few hours. Finn was taking the time to apologize to Blaine for yelling in the bedroom, while Puck was apologizing to Kurt.

"Dude, I'm sorry for freaking out...we just weren't expecting **that** announcement yet, and you two were all mellow about it."

"Finn, like I said upstairs, we can't afford to lose our composure right now, or later for that matter. We didn't want to sugarcoat it, but we also didn't _**not**_ want to tell you."

"Thanks Blaine. You're an awesome guy, dude."

"That means a lot, Finn...thanks. Now, where are the flashlights?"

Meanwhile, Puck was dealing with a sudden passive-aggressive mama bear.

"Come on Princess, I'm sorry for having a hissy fit - both of us are. But really, what did you expect? Did you think we'd be all 'okay, thanks for letting us know' and smile about it?"

Kurt finally looked at Puck - slightly teary. "I knew you wouldn't be ecstatic, but I didn't expect you two to start yelling as soon as I closed the door."

Puck felt horrible when he saw Kurt looking as if he was about to cry. "We're really sorry, but we're just worried. I know we have a good idea about what we're doing, but look at it from our side. We don't want anything to happen to you, either of you," shooting a look from Kurt's face to his belly, "but we were anticipating this happening at the birth center, with Matt there, and your parents nearby. You shouldn't have to rely on some teenagers to deliver your daughter."

Puck bent his head and missed the look of shock on Kurt's face. He still wasn't used to 'sincere' Puck and couldn't help himself. He threw his arms around Puck and cried a little into his shoulder. Puck wasn't sure how to react.

"You don't know what that means to me, Noah. Thank you."

Blaine and Finn walked back into the room to see Kurt crying while tightly hugging a slightly confused Puck.

Finn moved to the couch first. "Hey...is everything alright?"

"Um, yeah...I think we're good, right Kurt?" Kurt nodded into Puck's shoulder before slowly pulling away and wiping his eyes. He turned toward Finn and signaled for another hug. "I'm sorry for being mean."

Finn sent a look over to Puck who shrugged and mouthed, 'just go with it'. "It's okay bro, we're cool. I'm sorry about overreacting...probably could've handled the news better."

Luckily for all involved, the sound of car doors closing could be hear from outside. Finn handed Kurt off to Blaine, and with Puck, made their way to the front door to see if anybody needed help bringing anything inside.

Kurt was about to say something to Blaine, but once again, he felt the need to squeeze Blaine's arm. Blaine heard the hiss of pain before he felt the loss of circulation.

_Oh crap._

Blaine looked at Kurt and saw that he had his eyes closed, but was breathing through the contraction. Blaine focused on keeping Kurt upright. It didn't last long, not even a full minute, but it felt much longer to both of them. Once Blaine felt Kurt loosen his grip, he gently pulled Kurt down to the couch.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so...how long's it been?" Blaine looked at the time, "About an hour since the one in the shower. Did it feel the same?"

"It didn't hurt as bad, but it was still sharp. It felt...different, too, like it started in my back and wrapped around." Kurt stared at Blaine and let out a laugh. "Are **you** okay? It was just a contraction."

Blaine shook his head_, Just a contraction, he says. _"Um, yeah, just peachy. This is happening, isn't it? She's coming?"

"Well, someone did mention earlier that we'd have a baby by tomorrow at the latest."

"Yeah, well, this is one of those times where I would love to be wrong." Blaine focused on massaging Kurt's lower back, and judging by the moans of appreciation he was getting, he was hitting the right spot.

"Are you boys getting it on in here or what?" Kurt and Blaine turned around at the voice.

"No, Santana, we're not. Sorry to disappoint."

Santana let out a smirk at that and kept going in the direction of the kitchen, followed by the rest of the girls carrying the ice and miscellaneous snacks. More voices could be heard coming inside. Finn and Puck were helping Mike get Artie in the house; Sam was helping the Warblers with the food; which left Brittany and Jeff to aim for Kurt and Blaine. They were by far, the most excited for the baby, besides Kurt and Blaine.

"Hey Mama, where's our little girl at?" asked Jeff.

"Yeah, where's the baby dolphin?" asked Brittany.

"She's still right where I left here," Kurt replied pointing at the bump, "although at the rate we're going, it won't be much longer until she's here."

"Well Blaine mentioned that Dr. Matt gave her a deadline," Jeff paused, eyeing Kurt and Blaine, "but why do I get the feeling that's not what you meant?"

"Why don't you two make sure everyone's jackets are in the closet first and then get everyone to come in here...we need to tell you all something."

The blondes looked at each other for a second before doing what was asked of them.

Blaine turned to Kurt, "I thought you didn't want to tell anyone yet?"

"I don't think we really have the option anymore, Blaine. While it's not full-blown, active labor yet, it will be. If everyone is expecting it, they'll know when to help or stay out of the way. The only people allowed to cry are me and the baby...and you, because I know you will," he finished with a smirk.

"I won't cry."

"Keep telling yourself that, honey."

* * *

It took ten minutes, but eventually everyone made their way into the living room. Everyone found a spot in a chair, on the floor or on the lap of their boy/girlfriend.

"Okay, Mama, what's going on? Starting a party with a meeting isn't the way I was imagining this day to go."

"Jeffrey, what did I tell you about calling him 'mama'?"

"I dunno, Nicholas. You know I don't listen to you all the time. Besides, Kurt said I could call him that."

"If you two are finished," Kurt sent a look at his mock-sons, "You may as well get used to hearing that. I'll be talking about myself in third person soon enough."

Everyone got quiet for a few seconds before the volume increased tenfold.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You're in labor? Why are we here then?"

"HA! Pay up Thad!"

"DAVID! You said you didn't bet anything!"

"You too guys."

"Artie, not you too."

"Yay! Baby dolphin's coming."

Kurt looked to Blaine and for a moment their thoughts were the same,

_Our friends are complete lunatics._

Kurt found Wes within the chaos and made a motion with his hand. The next thing the teens heard was the sound of a gavel hitting the side table.

"I call this insanity to order! Shut up!"

The warblers got the message before the rest of the group. Slowly but surely, the room quieted down, except for David. "You seriously brought that with you?" Wes just threw a pillow at him.

Blaine eyed the group that was half in shock, "Thanks Wes. Now that we have your attention, I would like to take this opportunity to explain what's going on and how we're gonna take care of this.

"Now, Kurt's had several contractions since last night, however, only the last two have been a real cause for alarm. His water broke in the shower, and at last check he was four centimeters dilated. The reason we're still here is the fact that we still won't see a baby til, at most, much later tonight, or tomorrow. The weather outside is not good, and the news is already reporting power outages to the south of us.

"If the need calls for it, Finn, Puck and I can - and will - deliver the baby; Kurt's in good hands with us. We have Matt on speed dial should we need him. At this stage, going to the hospital is a little pointless. And we have everything here already."

Kurt threw a grateful look at his boyfriend, "And I don't know about you all, but I feel pretty good now with all of you here with me. I'm comfortable here and a homebirth isn't much different to what it would be like with Matt. All I'm asking is for all of you to let me move at my own pace. Trust me, I'll probably become a real bitch within the next few hours; consider this your warning."

That was rewarded with laughs, smirks, and a couple of goldfish expressions.

"In the meantime, we have food, games, and movies, so let's take advantage of the electricity while we have it. So if there aren't any questions…let's party!"

* * *

The pizza dilemma ended up not being an issue at all. Since they had such a large order, the pizzeria had no problem with lending the warming bags that were usually reserved for deliveries, for them to use for the party. Actually, food wasn't a problem at all.

The first issue was, unsurprisingly, video games.

"We have to play _COD_ - "

"We played that three days ago when we pulled an all-nighter. So we should play _Halo_."

"I vote for _Mario Kart_."

"Seriously? You suck at _Mario Kart_."

"If the way you handle a weapon in _COD_ is any indication of how well you'd handle one in real life, I'd hate to have you as a hunting partner."

Blaine, Kurt and Jeff were sitting on the couch watching the boys volley back and forth over what game to play first. Blaine had Kurt leaning against him, while Jeff sat on the floor with his head on Kurt's bump. He had made himself the unofficial fetal monitor, which was working out better than expected. While Kurt wasn't denying the fact he was having contractions, he wasn't broadcasting when he had one.

Blaine was rubbing Kurt's back still and watching him doze. "What do you think - should we start taking bets, Jeff? With the way they're going at it, by the time they pick a game, the power's gonna be out."

"You could always play referee and pick a random game for them to play. It's your house and you're the one in labor - that means they'd have to listen to you, Mama."

Without opening his eyes Kurt responded, "Honestly I could care less. Besides, Wes is the one with the gavel. Tell him to take care of it."

"Wes is on Team _Mario Kart_." Kurt groaned at that.

"Oh for the love of - Jeff do me a favor? Can you do that whistle thing?"

"What whistle th- oh okay." Blaine and Kurt covered their ears. Jeff turned toward the fighting boys and did a quick high-pitched whistle, which effectively got the attention of everyone in the room, including the girls who were watching videos on laptops.

"Thanks Jeff. Okay, since none of you can agree on the same thing, here are your options. One, I pick a game for you and you play it; two, I pick and you don't play it; or three, I let the girls pick a chick flick and make you suffer. What's it gonna be?"

Trent, Wes, Thad, and Mike looked at each other in relief and slight terror. Nick, Beatz, David, Puck, Finn, Sam, and Artie just looked horrified. They seemed to come to a silent consensus and voted at the same time, "You pick."

Kurt was surprised they gave in so quickly. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, which led to Jeff making eye contact with Blaine. He mouthed '23 minutes', which meant that the contractions were starting in increase in frequency. Kurt missed the silent play-by-play and refocused on the eager gamers.

"Either set up _Rock Band_ and make teams, or prepare to watch _The Notebook_."

Ten minutes later, all of the gamers were set up and playing _Rock Band_. Trent, Wes, Thad and Mike were Team MK; Finn, Puck, Sam and Artie were Team COD; which left David, Beatz, Nick and Blaine, reluctantly joining in to make the teams even, as Team Halo. The girls were left laughing on the other side of the room, while Jeff and Kurt stayed with the couch.

"See Mama, I told you so."


	14. Lights Out

******This is part 3 of 3 of the 'here comes baby' arc.**

**_Lights out_**

* * *

It didn't take long before the girls started to get jealous and wanted to play too, claiming that they'd do better than the guys. For a moment, it looked like it was going to get ugly, but surprisingly it was Trent and Mike to the rescue. They asked who wanted to play, and the end result was Rachel, Mercedes, Quinn and Santana becoming Team Diva.

Tina and Brittany were content to sit back and watch the show with Kurt and Jeff from the couch. Not only were they all comfortable, it gave all of them nice views of their significant others, as they rocked out, completely oblivious to their staring. The girls were up again when Puck came over to drag Kurt away.

"Hey Princess guess what time it is?"

"No."

"Oh don't be like that. I just need to borrow you for ten minutes."

"No, I'm not moving…too comfortable."

"Yes, you are. Sorry, but this is sorta non-negotiable."

"Should've said something earlier, then."

"Hummel, get your ass off that couch."

"Nope."

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"…."

"Alright then." Puck looked toward Jeff and shot him a look. Jeff put on the most pathetic face he could, complete with tears in his eyes.

"Please Mama - don't you wanna see how close you are to meeting the baby?"

Kurt couldn't believe this. Everyone knew that pouty Jeff was a weakness of Kurt's. He was expecting Puck to get Finn and drag him upstairs for a quick check. The way he looked at it, it would take longer for him to get up the stairs, then for Puck to see how much closer he was to having the baby.

Kurt knew that it was necessary, but he just didn't want to move. Considering the alternative was to just let Puck check him on the couch in front of everyone...that made him at least sit up and sigh.

Kurt looked at Tina and Brittany for backup and at their failing attempts to conceal their laughter, admitted defeat.

"Well when you put it that way...a little help? And you can stop pouting Jeffrey, I'm moving." Jeff brightened up considerably, and gladly got off the floor to help Kurt off the couch.

Jeff chuckled as he helped him up and towards the stairs, "Sorry Kurt, but you know it's for your own good. We're only doing this because we love you."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Oh please, you just wanna help Puck poke me and see the baby. Take this as a learning experience...you know, for whenever you and Nick decide to have one, which better not be for a few years. Otherwise you'll have to answer to me."

"No worries. I like Nick having his parts, and if I got pregnant, you'd be the first one to kick his ass."

"Damn straight."

* * *

While Puck and Jeff took Kurt upstairs, everyone else was trying to pick another song to battle with on the game. Blaine looked distracted and wasn't paying attention to what was going on, at least until Finn bumped his shoulder and got his attention. He'd noticed Blaine watching the boys leave the room.

"Dude, what's up?"

"I'm worried about Kurt. Have you looked outside lately?"

"Yeah, well, it's kinda hard to not notice. The rain is coming down so hard, you almost can't hear the thunder. The lights have been flickering for a while now too."

"More than likely we're gonna lose power soon, but that's not the only thing I was thinking about. Kurt's in labor and in order for us to keep tabs on him, we have to periodically drag him upstairs to his room. I hate having to do that to him."

"I saw him having a hard time on the stairs. But what else can we do? We have the living room, the kitchen and the bathroom on this floor. We don't have a lot of options."

Finn and Blaine were lost in thought and didn't see Sam and Mercedes walk up to them.

"Guys, what's going on? You two haven't voted for any songs yet."

"We're trying to find an alternative to checking on Kurt without having to make him go upstairs."

Sam and Mercedes had noticed the exchange between the Kurt and Puck before they went to Kurt's room. "Jeff finally convinced Kurt to go up; Puck wasn't getting anywhere. I don't blame him - I wouldn't wanna move either. So what can we do? It's not like we can just make another room appear out of thin air."

"Yes we can - but we need a bed, or at least some cushions."

Blaine, Finn, and Sam looked at Mercedes in puzzlement. "What are you thinking?"

"Finn, remember when you guys were sharing the basement?" Finn nodded. "Any chance you saved the partition when you moved?"

Finn looked confused. "The what?"

Blaine started to see where Mercedes was going with this. "That divider Kurt used to split up the basement, you know, to give each of you a side?"

"Oh yeah, we still have that. Hey, we have a bed too!"

Sam smacked his head, "Duh, yeah - it's probably still in your closet, from the last time I stayed over. We can get the bed and use the divider as a privacy screen, set it up in here and ta da: instant exam room."

"And there are extra sheets and pillows in the closet, so it'll be comfortable...you think Kurt would be okay with it, though? A make-shift exam room isn't a bedroom."

Blaine interjected, "No it's not, but this is the better alternative, and quite frankly, I'd rather be able to stay put and not have to move around too much once we lose power. That's becoming a very near possibility. Nobody needs to be falling down stairs."

"Are we going to just set it up or should we ask first?" asked Sam.

"I'll go up and 'ask' him. You three go ahead and grab everything and set it up in the mean time?" Finn, Sam, and Mercedes nodded and everyone split up and headed to different parts of the house.

* * *

While Blaine, Finn, Mercedes, and Sam were plotting, Puck and Jeff had gotten Kurt into his room for another check.

Puck looked to Jeff to ask how Kurt was doing so far.

"Well, his contractions are holding steady at about 20 minutes apart. They don't last long, maybe 20-30 seconds, but they have started to hurt more, at least from what I can tell." Jeff stopped there because Kurt grabbed his hand and winced. "Okay, make that 18 minutes."

"Damnit Baby, that hurts." Kurt slowly uncurled himself, knowing what was coming next. "Thanks for waiting Puck. You can go ahead now."

Puck grabbed the portable ultrasound and checked for her position. He checked Kurt and was happy to at least give some good news. "Her heart beat is still really good, and she's still in a good spot and moving in the right direction. At least she's paying attention." Puck smirked at Kurt.

Jeff was staring at the little screen in awe. "Wow, Mama…she's so much bigger than the last time I saw her."

"Trust me – she's definitely bigger since the last time. So anything else Puck?"

"Well you're definitely progressing. 7 centimeters, almost 8. Not too bad for a few hours' worth of work."

"It's still not 10." Kurt pouted a little and sighed in aggravation, before looking to his belly. "You're going to be quite the handful, aren't you?"

"Of course she is - she's our mini-diva."

"Knock, knock. Can I come in?"

Puck answered, "Hey Blaine, yeah."

Blaine walked into the room and sat on the bed next to Kurt. "How are you doing?"

Kurt sighed again, "Still not quite there yet. What's up?"

"A couple of us were talking and we've come up with an alternative to where we do your checkups."

"Who's we?"

"Me, Finn, Sam, and Mercedes. The storm's getting worse and it's only a matter of time before the power goes out. We don't want to make you go up the stairs anymore either - and don't try saying it's okay - we can totally tell it's gotten a lot harder since this morning."

"Is this you asking me my opinion, or you just being courteous while they execute whatever plan you've all come up with?"

"...can it be both?" Blaine asked sheepishly.

Puck and Jeff started laughing while Kurt just gave his boyfriend a look. "It's a good thing I love you Blaine. What did you four come up with?"

* * *

Blaine had succeeded in stalling long enough for Finn, Sam, and Mercedes to get the living room situated. The boys were just leaving the bedroom when the lights went out. They could hear everyone downstairs, either shouting or cursing out the storm. Then the lights came back on.

Blaine got them moving, "Come on, let's get downstairs before it goes out again. I didn't grab a flashlight."

Once they got back to the living room, the video game system had been shut down and put away, leaving nothing out for anyone to trip on. The couch and chairs had been pushed back, leaving a large open space in the middle of the room. Wes saw them first asking if they were okay.

Jeff responded by saying they were fine, while Kurt did a quick count and noticed that they were short a few people. "Where's Beatz, David, Thad, and Mike?"

"They went to grab some stuff from the garage. How are you holding up?"

"Not there yet, but in good shape." Kurt looked to the side of the room and was surprised at what he saw. "Is that my partition? I thought we left that behind after we moved."

Finn popped out from behind it and motioned for Kurt to come over. "I asked Dad if we could hang onto it. You seemed to like it, and it is kinda cool. Wanna see what we did?"

Kurt walked around it and stood there, shocked. "What the -"

He'd forgotten about the foldout bed that Finn used for when the guys slept over, although it looked really comfortable and clean. "Blaine probably told you but this is for later on, or whenever you need to lie down. What do you think? I know it's not your bed, but it beats going up the stairs, right?"

Kurt sat on the bed and was pleasantly surprised at how nice it felt. He started to tear up a little. "This is fantastic. Thanks you guys. Although at the rate we're going, it's still going to be a while."

"Well we have time...none of us are going anywhere." As soon as Sam finished talking, the missing boys came back with their arms full of sleeping bags, blankets and pillows, which were dumped in the open space, before being attacked by everyone. "We figured we might as well get comfortable and start digging into the pizza."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

It only took ten minutes before everyone was situated. Luckily, the power waited that long before going out again, and staying out. Flashlights, lanterns, and candles were strategically placed around the room, so it looked like the lights hadn't gone out. Before they could dig into the pizza, there was one thing that had to be taken care of: phone calls.

Once the power had gone out, cell phones were beeping with texts from parents asking if they were okay. Everyone was able to placate their families and had established a phone chain of sorts. It didn't make sense to keep all of their phones on, so some were turned off to conserve battery life. There were two important phone calls that got top priority.

Blaine's phone went off with the number for Lima Memorial, so he answered, "Hi Matt, how's it going?"

"You guys and girls doing alright? How's Kurt?"

"Everyone's doing well, we're just getting the parents taken care of, before we kill the pizzas."

"And Kurt?"

"In labor, but doing well so far."

"Yeah, I got your message. It's been a little hectic around here, as you can imagine. Neal called me earlier and said that Kurt's water had broken. Any progress?"

"Some. He's seven, almost eight centimeters, contractions are about 20-ish minutes apart and Baby Girl is holding her own. We'll keep you posted."

"You'd better. I've gotta go. If you need me, call the hospital directly, or Neal - he's good at making sure I get a message. Take it easy and good luck."

Blaine hung up and relayed Matt's good luck, just before Kurt's phone went off.

"Hey Dad."

"Kurt, are you all okay? Lose power yet?"

"Among other things, yeah. Have you?"

"What's that supposed to mean? And yes, we just got done hooking up a generator."

"I kinda started labor...there's a good chance you'll be grandparents by the time you two get back."

Kurt heard the phone drop and Burt curse, before Carole came on the line.

"Kurt, sweetie, why is your father flipping out?"

"I told him you would grandparents by the time you got back. My water broke a couple hours ago and I'm almost eight centimeters. We're doing fine, though, so don't worry too much. Everything's under control."

"If you say so...convincing Burt is going to take some work though. Can I talk to your brother for a second?"

Kurt said goodbye before sliding the phone to Finn, who'd been watching the exchange from close by.

Blaine looked at Kurt and asked how well Burt took the news, before getting the 'I know you heard him so why bother asking' look. "That good, huh." "Yep."

* * *

It didn't take long for everyone to let their parents know that everything was under control. It was unanimously decided that they'd wait to tell them about the baby - they didn't need more adults freaking out.

By now, the living room was a jumble of teenagers, blankets, food, and lights. Just about everyone was on the floor. Blaine and Kurt got the couch again, while Jeff re-claimed his spot in front of Kurt, Nick beside him. The rest of the group was also split up in twos for the most part: Mike and Tina, Sam and Mercedes, Santana and Brittany, Finn and Rachel, Puck and Quinn. David and Wes were lounging in front of Thad, who grabbed one recliner, while Beatz and Artie were on the floor near the chair that Trent had claimed.

"So what are we gonna do now? Video games and movies are out."

"We have board games or cards."

It was Puck's idea that got the best response, "I've been told there's an interesting story involving some of you Warblers and a busted car, and I for one would love to hear it."

The boys in question groaned, with Wes putting his head in his hands and sighing. "Do we have to? Kurt still won't let us live it down. You don't know how paranoid I've been about having the Navigator."

The rest of New Directions was confused, and suddenly interested, at the looks of embarrassment on their faces, excluding a certain countertenor. Quinn saw Kurt's smirk and said, "Oh you have to tell us now, if his face is anything to go by."

The boys really didn't want to say anything, but their hesitation let Kurt to start telling the story for them.

"Okay, you've seen the bus we used for the competitions, right?" asking New Directions and receiving nods in return. "Mr. Franks is the bus driver and a really nice guy; he's best known for his shortcuts. There's this back road into Dalton that, while it does shave off a good 20 minutes off the drive time, is a dead zone for cell phones.

"Well, we were on our way back from Sectionals and the bus broke down. Mr. Franks does the typical 'let's try to turn the key a couple times and cross our fingers' approach – nothing. Our esteemed council," throwing a look to the still hiding Wes, David, and Thad, "were trying to call up the school or a tow truck. Obviously that failed. Mr. Franks went out to pop the hood, and the next thing we hear, is the hood slamming shut and him cursing. I ran off the bus to help."

Blaine chimed in, "It looked pretty bad. The latch on the hood didn't hold and it closed on his hands. Trent got the first aid kit and asked what was wrong with the bus. He said he wasn't sure; he didn't get a good look at it. So Kurt then looks at the rest of us and asks for a volunteer to come out with him to take a look."

Kurt took over again, "And the answer I get? A bunch of blank stares. So I threw my hands up and walked off the bus." He stopped there as he dealt with another contraction. Nick interjected with, "Oh yeah, he was yelling in French that, in my understanding was along the lines of 'how did I manage to get stuck with a bunch of boys who know nothing about cars' and 'didn't think this was possible'."

"You forgot about the cursing," said Jeff.

"How could I forget the cursing?" said Nick.

"Anyway," Kurt jumped back in giving both of them a look, "Blaine had followed me off the bus and asked how he could help. He held the hood open and I could tell right away what was wrong, but I could only get it to the point where we would be able to get back to school. So Blaine got me some stuff off the bus and voila! We were back in business - almost.

"Mr. Franks wasn't going to be able to drive us the rest of the way. So I told everyone to sit down and that I was driving. Mr. Franks was okay with it, but certain people said I was crazy."

Beatz interrupted, "We apologized for saying you were crazy, but seriously, how many teenagers can drive a **BUS**? And to prove you could, you whipped out your license, threw it at us, and drove us back to Dalton. And the best part, of course, was you lecturing us the whole way about proper maintenance care."

Santana couldn't keep quiet anymore, "Okay hold up. You're telling me that none of you know anything about cars? You have to be kidding me."

"Well, at the time...no," said Thad.

"But you could've changed a tire at least if that was the problem, right?" asked Mercedes to the Dalton boys.

Silence.

"Oh hell to the no. Kurt, please tell me that got a lesson like you gave us."

"Trust me Cedes, they got one. It was slightly different than the one I had for you girls."

That seemed to wake up Wes and David. "Hold on - what are you talking about? You said you taught the girls the same lesson you gave us."

"Same lesson, different approach."

Quinn was the one to explain, "Kurt brought us to his dad's garage one day and spent a few hours showing us how to properly change a tire, check fluids, change the oil, and gave us a quiz he called 'under the hood'." Seeing their jaws drop was priceless. "I guess it was a little different for you guys then?"

David started, "A week later, Kurt blindfolded us, put us on the bus, and drove us to the middle of nowhere."

Thad added, "Next thing we know, we hear a bunch of noises, and Kurt said to take off the blindfolds. He had taken our cell phones and said we needed to figure out how to fix the bus to get it back to school."

Trent was next. "Kurt had been giving away random tidbits all week long about car maintenance, so by this point everyone remembered at least one thing he'd said."

"All he said was 'hope you've been paying attention' and handed us the manual from the glove compartment. He grabbed his bag, got off the bus, and just sat under a tree with a book."

"Wes, you forgot to mention we had a time frame."

"Thank you Nicholas, how could I forget? We were being timed too."

"Kurt didn't do anything to help us out...not that he should've. When we had gotten stranded the first time, we kinda laughed at the idea that Kurt Hummel was gonna be our way home," added Beatz.

Tina asked the question that was on all of the New Directions' minds, "You forgot that his dad is a mechanic and Kurt's basically certified as one too." Again, silence. "You guys are unbelievable."

Jeff laughed, "We didn't get to the best part yet."

"What's the best part?" asked Brittany.

"When we finally got the bus moving, it was 4 and a half hours later. Kurt asked if we learned our lesson. We said we did, and that we'd never assume anything about him ever again. He seemed content with that, and the next thing we know, we were back at school. Turns out, we were in the back fields, ten minutes from campus. We could've walked back and didn't know it."

"Nice one Hummel. One of the oldest tricks in the book."

"Why thank you, Puckerman. I think it went pretty well, myself. Ow, son of a -"

Blaine resumed kneading Kurt's back, which seemed to help with the pain a little bit. Jeff was keeping track and starting biting his lip in concern. Finn got off the floor and moved to the couch, sharing a look with Puck and Blaine. This was something they had been waiting for. Kurt was concentrating on breathing, not realizing how quiet the room had gotten.

After what felt like a long time, but in reality was only a minute, Blaine could feel Kurt relax again. Even though he'd been taking care of his back, Blaine had kept a hand on Kurt's belly and felt the difference in the contraction.

"Better babe?"

"Yeah...that was the worst one so far." Kurt saw the concern on Jeff's face and offered a small smile. "You okay there Jeff?"

"...shouldn't I be the one asking you that? That almost lasted a whole minute, and it's only been 10 minutes since the last one."

"She feels lower than she was before. Maybe we're finally getting lucky and she's tired of staying put. Believe me, no complaints here."

That seemed to be enough to break the tension, not only for Jeff, but for the group as a whole. Apparently, everyone had been holding their breath. Finn noticed Kurt shifting on the couch and offered a hand up.

"You wanna try walking around again...maybe she just needs a little more encouragement. The sooner she drops, the sooner this will be over."

Kurt contemplated for a minute, and thought it sounded like a good idea. He was willing to do anything at this point to speed things up a bit.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. In the meantime, keep yourselves entertained. We've got plenty of board games and stories we could share. I'm not going far and between the twenty of us, we've got plenty of material to use. Don't worry; I'll be nearby to put in my two cents."

* * *

Several conversations did eventually start, as well as several games, which helped Kurt feel less guilty about ignoring everyone. He didn't dwell on it too much – he had other things to worry about.

"Is the walking helping any, Kurt?"

"I wouldn't count this as walking, but thanks for the encouragement."

Blaine bit back a reply. He could've said that Kurt hadn't been able to walk properly for the last couple of months, or something sappy, but there was a reason why he was one of the smartest guys around: he had common sense. If there was one thing he'd learned about Kurt Hummel over the last year, it was how to interpret Kurt's tone.

Kurt's wit and sarcasm, while often brilliant, was often used as a defense mechanism or a way to hide pain, be it physical or emotional. At this stage of labor, Blaine couldn't imagine how Kurt was feeling. He'd been stressed out and worrying for the last month, and he wasn't the one pregnant, nor the biological father. Kurt was the one stuck at home with a bunch of teenagers, in labor, during a blackout caused by one of the worst storms to ever hit Ohio.

So if sarcasm was going to help him through it, then so be it. However, from the looks Finn and Puck kept throwing at each other, something was wrong. The same time Blaine was thinking this, Kurt was dealing with another contraction, and from the looks of it, was starting to lose his composure.

When it looked like it was over, Blaine asked Kurt what he wanted to do. Kurt had started shaking, and Blaine was worried he was going to drop.

"I – I think I need to lie down…I don't feel good."

That was **not** something he wanted to hear.

"Okay, honey, couch or bed?" _That's it Blaine, one easy question at a time._

"Uh, bed, please…I don't want the others to see anyth-oh that fucking hurts!"

Kurt would've fallen over if it wasn't for Finn showing up to help Blaine. Once it was over, they maneuvered Kurt back to the hidden bed and tried to get him comfortable enough for Puck to check him again, but Kurt wasn't having it.

"No, that's it. I can't do this anymore. Somebody else has to do it. I can't –oh I think I'm gonna be sick."

Finn grabbed the trashcan just in time. Kurt hadn't eaten much earlier, but whatever he had managed to get came back up. He was sobbing and absolutely miserable. Blaine kept rubbing his back, while Finn made sure Kurt didn't fall off the bed. Puck grabbed a cell phone and called Neal.

"Hello?"

"Neal? It's Puck. We're having a minor crisis and I need you to talk to Kurt."

"What's wrong? Last time I talked to Matt, it sounded like you guys were doing okay."

"We were, but Kurt's throwing up and getting hysterical and we can't get him to calm down."

"Is he fully dilated yet, or close to it?"

"I haven't been able to check him again, but he was almost eight, about two hours ago."

Neal sighed, "He's more than likely in transition, although it sounds like he's having the tougher end of it. If he's not at ten now, he will be very soon. Take it from me; this part of labor is worse than pushing the baby out. Hopefully, this doesn't take long for him, but since this is his first, it might."

"Is there anything we can do for him? Even Blaine is having a hard time calming him down."

"With Casey, I was just nauseous, but a cool compress felt fantastic to me. With RJ, I did get sick and felt better with something warm on my back. Some people don't want anyone helping them; it's different for everyone. Let me try talking to him."

Puck moved back toward the bed and saw that Finn had already put a cool cloth on Kurt's forehead, while Blaine was rubbing his back. Kurt seemed calmer than five minutes ago, but was still looked ready to throw up again.

"Kurt, Neal is on the phone…do you wanna talk to him?"

Kurt slowly nodded and reached for the phone. "Neal?"

Neal sighed in relief, "Hey, I hear you're having a hard time."

"To put it mildly, yeah. I can't stop shaking and I feel so sick right now…does this mean something's wrong?"

"No Kurt, unfortunately this is just the suckiest part of labor. And believe me, it can change with every pregnancy. You're in transition, which is why you feel like crap, but this is good news for you. It means you're almost done. If I learned anything about your friends, they're probably saying the same thing. I know it's hard, but let them help you. Are the contractions really bad yet?"

"Yeah. I knew it was going to be bad, but it's so much worse than I imagined…"

"Kurt, what's the matter?"

"…is feeling like I have to push a bad thing right now?"

Now Neal was worried, "Not necessarily, but if you can, get one of the boys to check. If you're fully dilated, then you can start working on pushing. If not, you're at risk of hurting yourself. Can you put Blaine on for a second?"

He heard some shifting before he heard, "Neal -"

"Blaine, don't start freaking out on me now. Listen to me. If he's feeling the urge to push, you have to be his crutch. He can't get hysterical again. It'll just make things harder in the long run. Keep him calm; let him know that every contraction gets him closer to holding the baby. Make sure he tells you how he feels and work with that, but let him know he needs to listen to you three as well.

"Can you handle that?" Neal had faith in Blaine…he just wasn't sure if he felt the same.

"Yeah. It's not like I'm just gonna leave him to deal with this on his own. We'll take care of him. Thanks Neal."

"No problem. Keep me posted, and good luck."

Blaine hung up the phone and watched Kurt get sick again, although it didn't seem as harsh as before. He shared looks with Puck and Finn, as he thought how to go about getting Kurt in a more manageable position. They heard a light knock on the partition, and turned to see a pale Jeff.

"Hey guys…couldn't help but overhear…is Kurt okay?"

Blaine hadn't realized how quiet it had gotten in the room but obviously they all heard what was going on. He wasn't sure if he should explain what was going on, however, Kurt beat him to it.

"I'm not gonna lie; I've felt better. This is just a very nasty side effect of labor, one I hope you don't have to experience."

"What's wrong? Anything I can do to help – any of us for that matter?"

"Remember how Neal said the last 3 centimeters were the worst? He wasn't lying."

Jeff couldn't stand to see Kurt look so miserable. He didn't wait to see if they'd tell him to leave; he walked up to Kurt and gave him a light hug.

"Is it okay if I talk to your angel?"

Kurt actually smiled a little bit, which confused Puck. Everyone knew that Kurt didn't believe in God. Finn told Puck in a low voice, "Just because he doesn't believe in religion, doesn't mean he can't have an angel." Puck wasn't confused for long when he got the hint. "His mom?" Finn just nodded in reply.

"Sure sweetie, go ahead. I think that'd help a lot right now. Tell the others we're doing okay and that we'll have a new mini-glee member soon…and I'm sorry if I scared you guys. "

"That's okay Mama – it's not like you're doing it on purpose." Jeff smiled before heading back to the group that had huddled together on the other side of the room.

The boys were happy to see Kurt smiling again and decided to take the chance while they had it.

"Honey, are you feeling good enough to move? I'll hold you like we did on the couch earlier. We need to see if you're at ten yet. I don't want to see you hurt yourself, and if you feel ready to push…"

Kurt sighed and reluctantly nodded. Kurt used Blaine as leverage and managed to turn onto his back, with Blaine sliding in behind him to support him. Kurt moaned again in pain, but was able to breathe through it, while Blaine hugged him from behind. When it ended, Kurt leaned back into Blaine's neck and just groaned.

"This sucks, this just fucking sucks." Blaine couldn't help it – he laughed. "I couldn't have said it better myself. Think you can handle a check?" Kurt nodded and Blaine motioned for Puck, noticing that Finn had disappeared.

"Where'd Finn go, Puck?"

Puck responded, "He went to let everyone know what's going on…they're all worried, and the storm's gotten pretty loud. Now don't worry about them; you have enough to think about right now. However, I do have good news."

"Yeah?"

"You can start pushing when you feel like it – you're finally fully dilated."

Kurt promptly burst into a new set of tears.

* * *

Finn found everyone on the other side of the living room. It was strange to see them this quiet, but they were worried, hell, _he_ was worried and he knew what was going on. Kurt was in good hands with Blaine and Puck, so Finn thought this would be the best time to get everyone else up to speed. Rachel was the first to look up as he walked over.

"Finn – how's Kurt? It sounded like he was in a lot of pain."

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose before responding. "I won't lie – things could be better. By a raise of hands, how many of you guys know the stages of labor, and I mean **really** know."

No surprise that Quinn did. Tina, Mercedes, Jeff and Nick raised their hands too, but that was it.

"Okay. Quick lesson then: first stage is spilt into early labor and active labor. Essentially it's all the prep that happens before you go through with actually delivering the baby. The last part of active labor is called transition. The contractions last longer, come faster and hurt like hell, not to mention being unpredictable.

"Kurt's at this stage and having a hard time of it, as you've probably figured out. The only good thing about it – as soon as he's fully dilated he can be in the second stage, which is actively pushing the baby out. For Kurt's sake, I'm hoping she comes out sooner rather than later. The last stage is the messy afterbirth stuff that I'm not going into detail about.

"Blaine is trying to keep Kurt calm long enough for Puck to see if he's finally dilated enough to start pushing. I'm pretty sure he is. If this is gonna bother anybody, or freak you out too much, you can go upstairs and hang in my room. Any questions?"

"Is Kurt gonna be okay?" asked Wes.

"Yeah, he doesn't sound good," said David.

"Trust me – when he can start pushing, he'll be in much better shape. At least then, you feel like you're accomplishing something. That, and that truly means the end is near," added Quinn.

"We're staying put Finn. Just let us know if we can do anything," said Nick.

* * *

Finn heard Kurt crying as he walked back to their make-shift delivery room and was afraid something had happened. "Puck? What –"

"Kurt can finally start pushing. It's about fucking time, don't you think?"

"Dude that's my niece you're talking about…but yeah totally is about time." Finn sat next to Kurt and grabbed his hand. "How you doing bro? Ready to get this over with?"

Kurt smiled tiredly at Finn, "You have no idea."

Puck smirked, "Well, whenever you're ready Princess."

* * *

Another hour later and Kurt was sure of three things. For one, he was exhausted. Two, his daughter was grounded – indefinitely. And three, he was never doing this again.

"Kurt, I wouldn't lie about this. I see her head. A few more pushes and you're in the clear."

"Well that's just too bad, Puckerman. If you want her out then **you **get her out." Kurt was clearly at the end of his rope.

"Baby, you're so close. I know it's been a long day, and you're tired, but she's right there. Just think, a couple more and then you can relax. You can do this."

Kurt felt the next contraction and pushed hard. All he felt was blinding pain, and any remaining hope he had of staying calm went out the window.

"That's it Kurt! Her head's out! Wait til the next one to push again."

"Make up your damn mind Puck! You want me to push, and then you don't want me to push. Pick one!"

Finn was still holding Kurt's hand and rubbing his arm. "Bro, he's gotta get a good hold on her and help with her shoulders, or you'll be hurting a lot worse."

"Stop making sense Finn! Oh – please can I push now?"

"Last one Kurt – push!"

That was the best thing he'd ever heard, and finally after so many hours, Kurt felt relief.

And then there was the sound of a baby crying.

Kurt fell back against Blaine, completely drained but deliriously happy. "Blaine," Kurt murmured, "is she okay?"

"Puck – how does she look?"

"See for yourself." Puck held up the crying baby, and with help from Finn, got her wrapped up and settled in Kurt's arms.

"Oh my – Blaine, look at her. Hey there sweetie. It's about time you graced us with your presence. We've been waiting for you."

"Kurt, she looks just like you." Blaine tilted Kurt's face so he could give him a proper kiss. "Congratulations baby. She's adorable."

Kurt was so focused on the little bundle in his arms, he was oblivious to Puck massaging his stomach and cleaning up the mess.

* * *

"Finally!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, it sounds like we have a mini-glee member."

"Guys – "

"When do we get to see her?"

"You think Kurt's okay?"

"Guys – "

"Why hasn't someone come over here yet?"

"I'm sure everything's fine."

"Guys – "

"They're probably cleaning them up. We waited all this time – ten more minutes is nothing."

A whistle once again got everyone's attention.

"Thank you Jeff. Now can you all shut up?" Silence. "Thank you." Finn looked at the anxious faces and let a smile fall across his face. "Now that I have your attention: I'm proud to announce that Ms. Hummel has finally decided to arrive. She and Kurt are doing fine. Puck and Blaine are taking care of them at the moment, and as soon as we get them settled, you'll be properly introduced."

* * *

It took some time but eventually everyone moved toward the partition. Since they really didn't need the privacy anymore, Finn and Puck were going to move it in order to reveal to the group their new addition.

"Ready to meet her?" Excited nods and 'hell yeahs' were the responses they got. Moments later, everyone got to meet the little diva.

Kurt was tired, but at least semi-alert, still leaning against Blaine.

"Hey guys. Allow me to introduce my little trouble-maker: Zoe Elizabeth Hummel."


	15. Baby Zoe

**Hello everyone! I was determined to get this posted because today's my birthday, and I've been working on this one for a few days. I started writing a different chapter, but then I thought 'when was the last time we saw Zoe?' So this chapter follows right after '**_**Lights Out'**_**.**

****In case anyone isn't sure about the whole Kurt feeding Zoe thing: mothers do not produce milk right away after the baby is born. Initially, colostrum is produced, which contains antibodies and helps the newborn's immune system. After a few days, milk begins to be produced.**

**In my verse, the concept I'm going for is that carriers are able to produce colostrum and can 'breast feed' for the first few days after the baby is born. However, their bodies are unable to produce anything more than that, so alternate means - such as formula - are necessary. Kurt is able to 'breast feed' Zoe for the first few days, but once he is unable to do so, that's when the boys intervene and fight over who gets to feed her a bottle.**

**Hope that clears up any confusion or curiosity about that topic. ****As I've said before, I haven't had kids so any medical stuff you see here, is what I've been looking up. As always, if there are any moms out there that want to help me out or correct me on something, feel free to do so.** ******

**And before I let you go, two things: One, if you haven't seen it yet, I posted a story **_**called I Like Purple Better**_**, which is this story in chronological order. Two, if you have enjoyed my Kurt-Jeff friendship, I'll be posting a one-shot shortly that takes place a few years from the timeline in **_**It's not gonna be pink**_**. Damn those plot bunnies :-) **

**Thank you and muchas gracias to all of you who have clicked, read, favorited, and reviewed this story – you rock!**

_**Baby Zoe**_

* * *

Carole loved her husband, there was no question about that, but to say that Burt was worried was a bit of an understatement. It had been a few hours since they had heard from the boys, and while the storm was finally letting up where they were, it still wasn't safe to leave, let alone drive back.

The last time Carole had tried to call Finn, there was no answer. She waited ten minutes and tried Blaine with the same result. At one point, the phones were just going to voicemail, which wasn't reassuring to say the least. Carole knew that last they heard, Kurt was almost eight centimeters. Is he still in labor? Did he have the baby yet? Carole sighed as she walked back to the table Burt was sitting at.

"Here Burt, I got you some coffee."

"Thanks Carole. Did you get through to the boys yet?" Burt sighed in frustration as Carole shook her head. "This is ridiculous." He stood up and started to pace. "I can't take it anymore. What if something's wrong? What if Kurt's hurt? Or something happened to the baby? Or - "

Carole jumped up and tried to get Burt under control. "Burt! You need to calm down. You can't get worked up or assume the worst. For all we know, the kids have everything under control, Kurt is fine, and the baby is fine. Just because we can't get ahold of anyone right now, doesn't mean the end of the world. The storm has died down quite a bit here, and as soon as we have the all-clear, we are out of here."

Burt took a few deep breaths and let Carole lead him into a chair. "I'm just so worried about Kurt. I shouldn't have left him. I should've known something would happen."

"Did you know that he would go into labor today? Did you make that storm move in and make everything an absolute mess? Are you the one messing with the cell towers?" Burt stared at Carole and shook his head. "Then how could you have known how this day was going to turn out?"

"I don't know. Have you ever had a feeling that something was going to happen, but you don't know what? That's how I've been feeling for a few days now."

Carole looked at Burt, "Why didn't you say anything?

"I thought I was just imagining things, figured it was just pre-baby jitters. I was hesitant on leaving in the first place, but Kurt insisted. He said it would be rude to not show up, and it wasn't like we were going to be that far away. I know he's got Finn and Blaine…"

"But they're not you," Carole said quietly.

"Maybe I am worrying for nothing. They know how to handle themselves. Just because we can't get through to them, doesn't mean that they couldn't get ahold of Matt or Neal." Carole sat up at that.

"Burt! I didn't think to call Neal! I'm sure the boys would've had to call him to get ahold of Matt - calling the hospital and leaving a message would've been useless." Carole picked up her cell phone to try calling Neal, but the signal wasn't strong enough. She got up and went to ask the back office to see if the landline was working, not noticing Burt getting up to follow her. Two minutes later, there was finally an answer on Neal's cell.

"Neal, it's Carole. Please tell me you've heard from the boys recently."

"Carole, are you still in Cincinnati?"

"Yes. We're still waiting for the okay to leave. Burt's itching to get a move on. I haven't been able to get ahold of the boys. Our cells can't get a signal, and the landline I'm using just came back up. I tried the house but nothing happened."

"Power went out a couple of hours ago, and the landlines are working sporadically. I spoke to the boys almost two hours ago."

"Are they alright? Last we heard, Kurt was only at 8 and holding steady."

"Puck called me a little while ago in a panic. Kurt was throwing up and hysterical, and the boys weren't prepared for that. He was going through transition and said he felt like pushing. He was in a lot of pain, but I spoke to him and calmed him down. I told Blaine that it was up to him to keep all of them calm. I haven't heard - "

"Neal?"

"Carole, I have Blaine's number coming in. Hold on - I'm going to try and three-way it." Carole heard a click on the phone and heard Neal speak up again.

"You still there, Carole?"

"Yes, and Burt's with me too."

"Okay. Blaine, you still on the line?"

A voice came through the speaker, "Yep still here...hi."

"Blaine, are you all okay? How's Kurt?" Burt asked without hesitation.

An exhausted, but happy voice said, "Hi Grandma and Grandpa." Burt stopped breathing for a few minutes before he was able to speak up again.

"Oh god, Kurt. You had her? Are you two alright?" he asked hurriedly.

Kurt laughed weakly, "We're alright...Dad, she's gorgeous."

Happy tears started to run down Carole's face. "Oh honey, that's great. How does she look?"

"She has a lot more hair than I was expecting. She's significantly calmed down since Finn got her cleaned up and wrapped up. Finn said she was 21 inches long, and felt a little less than ten pounds. Puck cleaned me up, and Blaine is the best pillow ever."

The adults heard Blaine laugh over the line. "I'm holding him against me and supporting him. He's still shaky and needs help at the moment to hold her."

"He'll be shaky for a little bit yet, until his body realizes what it just went through. Is he still bleeding or contracting?" Carole had been thinking the same thing, but wasn't sure how Burt would handle hearing about that and was kind of relieved that Neal asked.

"It feels like really bad cramps right now," said Kurt.

Blaine piped in, "He was still bleeding a little bit, but Kurt was able to feed her a little, and that's helped."

Now Burt was confused. "Wait - I thought Matt said you wouldn't be able to do that. No offense, Kurt, but you don't have the chest for it."

Neal snorted, "Don't worry, Burt. Even though we don't have breasts and produce milk, we do produce colostrum, which is really important for the baby to get. Unfortunately, we can't actually breast feed."

"I can tell you from experience; it's not always a pleasant. While it is an amazing way to bond, it takes some getting used to. You have to find a way that doesn't hurt mom and the baby gets fed. Kurt will only have to worry about for a few days, and then we'll get her onto formula."

Kurt spoke up, "And if there's one thing I'm grateful for, it's that I can't do that. No offense Mom, but that's a girl thing. Having a baby is as girly as I plan to ever get, thank you very much. Although it was funny to watch how quick Puck and Finn can move when they're uncomfortable. They figured I didn't need an audience and went to placate everyone else."

Everyone on the line laughed at that, though Burt was now picturing his son breast feeding, and that was not an image a father needs to see. In his opinion, breast feeding was a private thing between mom and baby. When Elizabeth took care of Kurt, he excused himself and left them to it, unless she asked for him to stick around. He suddenly realized that the one thing he wanted to know hadn't been mentioned yet.

"Kurt, what's her name?"

"How did I not mention that yet? It's Zoe Elizabeth...do you like it?"

Carole and Neal both said that it sounded adorable, while Burt stared at the phone. He let out a watery smile and said, "It sounds awesome, Kurt. I can't wait to see her."

Blaine asked, "Speaking of which - when will you two be home? Has the storm let up by you yet? The rain's finally started to slow down, and the wind's died down too. Power is still out, though."

Carole and Burt looked around the room and noticed that some people were putting on jackets and heading outside, while others looked like they weren't planning on leaving any time soon. "I'm not sure. It looks like some people are going to attempt to go outside. The storm has stopped for the most part, but I don't know what the roads are going to look like."

"Did you take your truck Burt? You may have better luck getting through any flooding, though you may want to wait until morning, just in case. It's darker than it should be due to the power outages, and it'll be safer."

Neal had a point, which Burt didn't want to agree with. Now that he knew that Kurt was okay, he wanted to leave now so he could see them for himself, but even with the truck, it wasn't worth it to rush.

"We'll probably wait, at least until there's some light out." Carole saw the previous frustration return to her husband's face, and did her best to keep him calm. Luckily Kurt and Blaine noticed as well.

Blaine spoke first, "Burt, we want you both to come home as soon as possible, but please do so when you can. We'll all still be here whenever you get here, and by all, I do mean all of us. We're not letting anyone leave the house until we know it's clear. We've turned the living room into a campground."

"And he means it. There are sleeping bags and blankets everywhere," said Kurt. "I got lucky; at least I got the bed."

"I meant to ask about that," said Neal, "where are you in the house? It sounded like everyone was close by, and I know you all wouldn't fit in the bedroom."

"Before we lost power, Puck was checking on Kurt, who wasn't in the mood to get off the couch and climb the stairs." They heard Kurt huff in annoyance.

"Can you really blame me? I was finally relatively comfortable and he wanted me to move?" Kurt said.

Burt, Carole and Neal could just imagine Blaine rolling his eyes. "Anyway, Mercedes, Sam, Finn, and I set up a corner of the living room to look like an exam room. We got Kurt's partition out of the garage and grabbed the spare bed from Finn's room. It helped to keep everyone together, especially after we lost the lights. Kurt and I stayed on the couch when we weren't walking around during contractions, and moved to the bed before he had to start pushing."

"That's clever. Nice job. Hang on a second." Neal was getting another phone call. "I'm really popular today. That's Matt. I'll put him through too - make this a real party line. Hey honey, how's your day going?"

"Oh my god, I wanna go home. I just got your last message - "

"Was it about me? Because it's old news."

"Kurt is that you? How are you doing? I guess we're on a three-way call, then?"

"More like a four-way call. Mom and Dad are on the line too. They called Neal after they couldn't get ahold of us. We're doing fine. Wait until you see Zoe, Matt- she's so cute! And she's big."

"Personally, I'd be upset if she wasn't a little on the big side. You do not want to see the parent of an overdue baby that comes out weighing six pounds. Neal was pissed when RJ was born and barely weighed seven."

"Well, you'd be pissed off too if you gained 38 pounds, and your baby only weighed a little bit," Neal grumbled.

Carole was pulled away from the conversation by one of her girlfriends. Some of the guests were attempting to go home that lived by. Everyone else was given the option to stay at the hotel down the street, at least until they could also leave.

"So what's the verdict?" asked Burt.

"Some people that live nearby are going to leave, but everyone's been offered rooms down the street, for the night if necessary. They're on a different circuit and have power and working phones. At least half of the guests are taking up the offer."

"Well, I'm glad we packed that extra set of clothes, then…looks like we'll be here for a bit. As soon as we can leave, we will."

"Just stay safe, Dad. We'll still be here when you get back."

"Or at least here with me," Matt said, interrupting Kurt, "Kurt, I put you on an ambulance pick-up list. When one is available, you'll be getting a ride in so I can check both you and Zoe out. And don't think it's special treatment - another one of my patients had a boy earlier. Even though she's a pro by now, since it's her third, they're getting picked up as well."

"We'll let the others know to expect some visitors then," said Blaine.

"And I'll be here if you need a go-between," said Neal.

Burt and Carole hung up and followed the crowd to the hotel. Neal hung up to check on Casey and RJ. Matt stayed on the line with Kurt and Blaine for a few minutes more to ask how the delivery went and to inform Kurt that he could bring one person with him to the hospital. He assured him he wouldn't be stuck there too long if they both checked out fine, so the fewer people there, the better.

* * *

Most of the group was asleep or dozing by candlelight, as they were still waiting for the power to come back on, when the ambulance arrived. Thankfully, there wasn't a fight over who was going with Kurt, as Blaine was the obvious choice. The paramedics introduced themselves as Katie and Tim and looked drained, but one look at Zoe seemed to help perk them up a bit.

Kurt was one of the few that hadn't really slept yet, so he was understandably exhausted. Tim asked Kurt a few questions about how he was feeling, but Finn and Puck had more of the answers he was looking for. Kurt didn't put up much of a fight when Tim announced that they were ready to leave, and Katie, who was checking on Zoe, agreed that it was time to go.

Finn and Puck helped Kurt maneuver himself onto the stretcher, as he was still sore from giving birth just a couple of hours ago. Blaine held onto Zoe as they made their way outside. Everyone else was sticking around until morning – no one wanted to attempt going home. They wished Kurt good luck as he was wheeled out the door.

Matt met them outside the hospital and escorted them to a room in the Family Birth Center. Once Kurt was moved to a bed and assured that Zoe would be taken care of, Kurt finally let himself fall asleep. Matt told Blaine to get some sleep as well, and motioned that he could sleep with Kurt in the bed, as long as he was careful. Blaine was happy he could, and joined Kurt in dreamland just minutes later.

Matt checked in on Zoe, who had been relocated to the nursery, and received a good report from the nurses. He was really amazed at how well Kurt and Zoe were doing. When Neal called him and said that Kurt was in labor, there was no way to get assistance to him. Blaine, Finn, and Puck stepped up and took care of everything. Not many people would have been able to handle that. He was confident that he would be releasing both Kurt and Zoe in no time.

* * *

As soon as the sun came up, Burt and Carole were making the drive back to Lima. They decided to check on the house first, as they were pretty sure none of the kids would've been able to leave the night before. Carole walked in the door first and signaled Burt to watch his step. It took a few moments for Carole to locate Finn in the mess of bodies on the floor. She didn't see any sign of Kurt or Blaine, so she figured they had already been picked up.

Carole gave Finn a shake and was able to rouse him enough to get him into the kitchen. It took a few minutes for Finn to realize his parents were back, which prompted him to hug both of them, hard.

"For the love of god, never leave us home alone with someone due to have a baby. I can't tell you who was more traumatized by it all: me, Kurt, or everyone else." Carole almost laughed at the expression on her son's face, but felt bad that they'd all had the day from hell.

"I'm sorry you all had to go through with that, and for the record, I don't want to see any more of you expecting a child until you're out of high school."

"Totally doable. Agree with you 100%. We were so worried something was going to go seriously wrong, especially when he was going through transition. Two words: not fun." Finn was given some coffee and told them everything that had happened within the last 24 hours. Carole was in shock, while Burt was impressed.

"The ambulance showed up a few hours ago and took Kurt and Zoe to the hospital to get checked out by Matt. Blaine was the plus one. Matt sent me a text not too long after to say that everything looked good, and that they were all sleeping, which reminds me…" Finn took his phone out and handed it to Carole and Burt.

"I forgot you haven't seen her yet." It was a picture of Kurt, Blaine, and Zoe, not long after she was born. Carole 'aww-ed' at the picture. Burt got a little teary-eyed.

"She certainly looks like an overdue baby. Did Matt say how much she weighed?"

Finn yawned and nodded. He took the phone back so he could open up the text. "Yeah…21 inches long and 9 pounds, 11 ounces. Puck and I wrote down what time she was born and how both her and Kurt were doing during the whole delivery and gave it to the paramedics." Finn's phone beeped with an incoming message. "Oh, Matt says we can visit any time after nine, but asked if we could just keep it to the three of us for now."

"He's probably not going to keep Kurt there for long then, maybe just for the next day or so for observation. There's no point in having everyone go to the hospital to visit if he'll be home in a little bit," Carole pointed out.

"Although we may need to bring Jeff with us," said Finn, "he was a big help yesterday too. And somehow I don't think any reasoning from Nick is going to work."

"If we need to, the two of them can come too. Are anyone's parents expecting their kid to come home soon?" asked Burt.

"When we were making calls last night, everyone was told to stay put until it was clear enough to leave. I can start waking them up if you want. That way, the house is cleared up when we go see Kurt."

"That would be great, Finn. You do that, and I'll put more coffee on. Burt, could you go check outside? There's a lot of debris out there still, and I don't want anyone else leaving and hitting something."

"Yeah, there are some branches in the driveway that are caught under the cars. Finn, let me know if anyone tries to be difficult. I'm sure I can get them to wake up."

Finn laughed and made his way back into the living room, contemplating on whom to wake up first. He was tempted to use Wes's gavel, but he wanted to be alive to visit Kurt. That, and Wes was sleeping with it. He made his way over to Puck, Jeff and Nick first. When told there was coffee, Puck got up and went to look for it. Finn told Jeff and Nick they could come with them to the hospital, but everyone else was going to have to wait their turn. To Finn's relief, Jeff volunteered to wake up the girls, and Nick would handle the other Warblers. Within ten minutes, everyone was moving to some degree.

Carole came out of the kitchen with cups of coffee and hot chocolate, which were grabbed for with little hesitation. Everyone was informed of Kurt and Zoe's status and grudgingly admitted that they'd wait until everyone was home from the hospital to visit. Before anyone planned to leave though, they insisted on clearing up their unofficial campground and restoring the living room to its former glory. Sometime later, the house was back to the way it was and everyone was on their way home.

* * *

Carole and Burt couldn't wait to see Kurt and properly meet Zoe. Jeff was bouncing off the walls in excitement, and Nick was having a hard time controlling him. Finn had a moment of brilliance and told Jeff that if he didn't tone it down a notch, they wouldn't let him in because he might scare the baby. Jeff was horrified at the thought, so he quickly complied.

It didn't take long to find Kurt's room once they got to the hospital. They were surprised to see Blaine hanging out outside the room, though.

"Blaine, is everything alright?" Burt asked.

Blaine blushed a little. "Yeah, Kurt is awake and feeding Zoe at the moment. One of the nurses mentioned you were coming, so I volunteered to wait out here for you guys."

Burt saw the look on the Warbler's face. "Take it easy kid. Trust me, I know. It's okay if you're uncomfortable with _that_. Just think, at least it's only for another day or two, right?" Burt laughed as Blaine's face got redder.

Carole gave him a light swat on the arm, "Stop torturing him, Burt. How are you doing, Blaine? Did you get some sleep last night?"

"A few hours. Kurt and I passed out not long after they got him settled. We've only been up for a half an hour or so." Blaine ended that statement with a yawn, "Still tired though." The group turned around at the sound of footsteps to see Matt walking towards them. He looked like he had just woken up.

"Morning everyone. Sorry, I just got up. Best three hour nap I've ever had."

"Well you certainly look better than you did last night, no offense."

Matt smirked, "Why thank you for the compliment, Blaine. Zoe was brought in already?"

"Yeah. Kurt was feeding her. They're probably done by now. I can go check if you want." Matt shooed him into the room and looked at the rest of the group. "I'm surprised no one else snuck in with you."

Carole laughed, "Finn and Burt were very persuasive with the kids; otherwise they'd be here too."

Matt laughed too, "Just as well, I suppose. You can probably take them home tomorrow. Kurt will need to take it easy for a few days, but there wasn't any tearing - which I'm absolutely shocked about - and he's only dealing with some lingering cramps. Zoe is fantastic and I see no reason to keep either of them here longer than necessary." Blaine popped his head out of the room and told them they could come in.

You didn't need to tell them twice.

* * *

Burt was the last one to enter the room. He had heard Jeff's barely contained squeals and Carole's not so contained ones. He hadn't really prepared himself to finally meet his granddaughter in person. Blaine had taken a seat on the bed next to Kurt while everyone else was standing around it. Kurt seemed to sense someone was missing and looked up to see his dad hanging behind everyone else.

"Didn't think you were scared of a little girl, Dad. Don't be shy," he added with a smirk.

Burt laughed as he made his way closer to the bed. His breath caught when he saw his son holding his granddaughter. He was trying to stay composed but was slowly losing the battle. He almost completely lost it when Kurt asked, "Want to hold her?"

Later Burt would tell you that he doesn't remember acknowledging Kurt's question. One minute he was staring at Zoe, and the next minute, was holding her. She did whine a little at being moved but seemed to know that no one was going to hurt her, and settled down quickly.

Finn saw the way Burt was mesmerized by the little girl. He looked at his mom, before gently nudging Burt into the chair next to Kurt's bed. Burt didn't seem to notice that he was now sitting down either, until Kurt tried to get his attention.

"So what do you think, Dad? Do I make cute kids or what?" Jeff and Carole agreed with Kurt, while Finn, Nick and Blaine just rolled their eyes. Burt looked up at Kurt, who was startled to see so much emotion in his father's eyes. "Dad?"

"Sorry Kurt. Just thinking. She really is gorgeous." Carole could see that the two needed a moment, and somehow managed to take Zoe from Burt. She motioned the boys to the other side of the room, signaling that they two needed a moment. Blaine gave Kurt a kiss before moving off the bed. Kurt looked back at his father, who seemed to be miles away.

"When you called and said you were in labor, I was angry with myself. I wasn't there and I should've at least been somewhere nearby."

"Dad, none of us could've known she'd pick the worst day ever to be born. I insisted you go to that wedding. I mean, you'd been looking forward to going for weeks. If anyone should be angry, it's me. Hell, I should've been the first to know Zoe wanted out, but I wasn't. Blaine figured it out before me."

Even though Finn had told Burt and Carole how the day had gone, hearing it from Kurt's point of view was something else. Burt took the moment Kurt stopped talking to wrap him in a hug.

"I'm so proud of you, Kurt. Not just now, but for everything you've done and gone through. Granted, I never expected to be a grandfather so young," both of them laughed, "but it's certainly not a bad thing. She's quite the looker."

"Wait until you hear her crying. She loses some of her cuteness when she does that."

"Not that I need a whole lot of details, but how was the delivery? Finn said part of it got a little crazy, and Matt said that he was expecting you to be a little hurt from pushing her out."

"I honestly don't remember most of it. I recall getting sick and Puck, I think, called Neal for help. I just remember Blaine trying to calm me down, but it hurt so much. _I'm _shocked I didn't need stitches or something. You've seen her, right? She is _not_ a small baby."

"Would you have rather her been a little smaller?"

Kurt just raised an eyebrow and gave Burt a look. "Dad, she was almost ten pounds, and she came out of a very little spot. What do you think?"

* * *

Matt sent Kurt and Zoe home the following day. Burt didn't think Matt was serious when he said that Kurt wouldn't be there long. It took both Carole and Matt to reassure him that there was no reason to keep them there any longer. Zoe was doing wonderfully and Kurt just needed to take it easy, and he didn't need to be in the hospital to do that. Matt pointed out that not only would they have Carole - a nurse - and access to three boys that had taken classes - Finn, Blaine and Puck -if they needed anything, they were free to call him or Neal.

Carole volunteered to bring Zoe in the house, while Blaine and Finn helped Kurt. He was still sore and shaky, so walking was a challenge. Eventually, they all settled down in the living room; Kurt didn't want to tackle the stairs just yet. He was still noticeably tired but wanted to hold his little girl again. Blaine saw the eagerness in his eyes and gladly pulled Zoe out of her carrier and handed her to Kurt.

Finn stared at Zoe before asking out loud, "Is it okay that she's so quiet? I mean, don't get me wrong, I like the whole not screaming part, but she's freaking me out."

Carole laughed at her son's question. "She's freaking you out because she's quiet?"

"Hey, I went to the nursery and a lot of those babies were crying like there was no tomorrow. I'm surprised she got any sleep in there."

Kurt smiled at Finn and said, "Well don't worry, Finn. She'll probably be waking you up tonight. She probably figured that making a lot of noise in the hospital would've been pointless. You don't always have to yell to stand out." Finn smiled back.

"Forgive me to have to be the one to ask, but how is the feeding thing going to work? Neal explained it a little, but…" Kurt was blushing as hard as Burt, who'd asked the question.

"I'm sure he mentioned that breast feeding isn't going to happen." Burt nodded. "I can still feed her for another day or so, but after that, we can give her formula." Zoe took that moment to make a little noise and curl into Kurt. "She's probably due for another feeding. She nuzzles into me when she wants to be fed." Burt and Finn took that as a good reason to leave the room. Carole laughed and followed them into the kitchen. Blaine looked like he wanted to stay and leave at the same time.

"If you could just get me that blanket first, you can run away too. You don't have to stick around for this part. I know it's unusual…"

Blaine retrieved the blanket and answered Kurt. "Only if you want me to leave. I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I know it's not for much longer, but I don't mind keeping you company." Kurt smiled at Blaine, and once Zoe was settled, Kurt leaned his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"You really are the best boyfriend ever...you know that right?"

"Right back at you."

* * *

Zoe's first night surprised everyone in the house. Granted, she did wake up every couple of hours, but once someone came into the nursery, she would stop crying. While most of the household had no problem with that, Finn was playing the skeptic. Finn had heard so many stories about babies crying for hours at a time, and at all hours of the day, that he wasn't expecting the opposite to happen. Kurt took it in stride and told Finn that it just proved that his daughter was awesome and to stop acting like a mama bear – that was his job.

To be fair, if Kurt was honest with himself, he was thinking the same as Finn. He was being cautiously optimistic about Zoe's behavior; he was waiting for her to do a 180 and become a nightmare. But after a week of the same pattern, he began to relax a bit more. He talked to Matt and Rita, one of the nurses that worked in the Nursery, and flat out asked if he should be concerned. Matt assured him the Zoe was in great shape and had passed all of her tests with flying colors. Rita told him that some babies were just more easygoing than others and to enjoy it while it lasted.

There were other things that were interesting to Kurt. Zoe had no qualms over who was holding her, though she did have a harder time with certain people. Wes and Rachel, for example, were only able to hold her for five minutes before she started to fuss. The rest of the girls could hold her for longer, but they seemed to feel better watching than holding. The Warblers and the New Directions boys were already wrapped around Zoe's finger – Puck, Nick and Jeff especially – though they were still denying it. It didn't help their argument when they argued whose turn it was to feed her.

Kurt and Blaine fell into an easy routine quickly. They took turns during the night when Zoe woke up, so neither one was more exhausted than the other. Blaine kept insisting on doing little things for Kurt, until the brunette told him to knock it and that he was fully capable of moving around on his own, even though he still tired easily. Blaine compromised and slowly helped Kurt get back into shape – because the countertenor was convinced that Blaine wouldn't want him with his post-baby body – while still managing to get away with doing things around the house.

The only thing that hadn't really been addressed yet was school. Their senior year was due to start in a few weeks, and nothing had been arranged yet. Kurt was worrying about more than he let on. As much as he'd love to be able to rejoin his friends at McKinley, Kurt loved being at Dalton, and since he still qualified for a reduced tuition, it was financially doable.

But there was still Zoe to consider.

There was no way Kurt was just going to depend on his parents to take care of her, and she was too little to just leave at a daycare, even though he was told otherwise by the adults. Kurt looked into it anyway and he had decided that if he were to go the daycare route, he'd leave Dalton and use the tuition money for that, and go to McKinley instead, because there was no way he could handle Dalton and having Zoe that far away from him.

And then there was Blaine.

Kurt didn't want to be separated from Blaine like that. It would make more sense for him to board during the week, which meant Kurt would only have him on the weekends, which in turn meant he wouldn't have him to help him with Zoe, especially at night.

What it came down to was a) leave Dalton to attend McKinley; use the money for daycare; and virtually no time with Blaine. Or b) drop out of school to take care of Zoe, and _still_ not being able to see Blaine.

Of course, this was all in Kurt's head. He was starting to resign himself to the fact that come September, he was going to be miserable one way or the other. What he didn't realize was that he wasn't the only one thinking about school.

Anyone with eyes could tell that Kurt was planning something, and from the looks of it, wasn't thrilled with whatever he was thinking about. Burt talked to Blaine about it – who was in the dark as much as he was – and they tried to figure out what Kurt was thinking about. It took a conversation from a concerned Jeff to fill in the blanks.

Jeff had been talking to Kurt and the topic of school had come up. Jeff asked if Kurt knew how school was going to work out now that Zoe was here. Jeff understood the dilemma and though Kurt asked for it to be kept secret, this was one of those times that you had to go behind the person's back and tell someone. Jeff spoke with Blaine and Burt, and they were having a hard time coming up with options that would make everyone happy. Needless to say, it was a surprise when Burt received a phone call from Professor Dippet two days later, who asked if there was a time that they could meet.

He had an idea.

* * *

Professor Dippet personally came to the house to discuss the upcoming school year with the boys. Apparently, he'd received several inquiries from the Warblers, wondering if Kurt was going to be allowed back at school with a baby, and were trying to kind of threat the headmaster that they'd start a protest if he would deny Kurt's attendance. He laughed at the looks on the family's faces and explained that there was a suitable arrangement that could be made to appease everyone involved.

Turned out, Jeff was the mastermind of the whole thing.

Jeff had spoken to the headmaster and had a whole proposal ready. What the household didn't know was that there were policies in place for 'special circumstances' which allowed young children to board on campus at Dalton. Thankfully, they hadn't been implemented much over the years, but there had been cases of students who needed to protect or house siblings due to abusive situations, loss of parents, or custody disputes. In those cases, siblings – brothers and sisters – were old enough to attend school, and accommodations had been made to bus them to local schools, or allow them to stay at Crawford.

He proposed that Kurt and Zoe have a room in the dorms – that were rarely used and unknowingly reserved for something like this - and allow Blaine to room with them. Kurt had spoken up before anyone else against that, simply because he didn't want to cause problems with any other couples in the school. A petition that had been signed from every known couple at the school stating that they didn't have a problem with it stopped that argument.

Jeff had even included the notion that would allow specific students, namely the core Warblers minus Wes (who had graduated), to watch Zoe during classes, which took care of daycare. They would focus on who had study halls or independent assignments, so no one would be missing valuable class time. Zoe would be with people she liked and that Kurt trusted, and would be on campus. As long as she was in a good mood, and she usually was, she could attend Warbler practice as well.

Jeff essentially took the ideal of 'it takes a village to raise a child' and made it a functional plan. If it was agreed to, Zoe was taken care of and Kurt would be able to have his senior year at Dalton. It was a win for everyone, although Finn protested that he wouldn't get to see his niece every day and that sucked, which prompted Burt and Carole to say the same. Blaine was as happy as Kurt, because he _had_ been thinking about transferring to McKinley, but had never said anything to Kurt.

For once, things were working out. Now all they needed to worry about was arranging everyone's class schedules and finding out who had open classes when…that, and figuring out what would need to be moved or bought for Kurt's dorm. No one wanted to be dragging lots of baby items back and forth every weekend.

The school year hadn't started yet, and already it felt like it was going to be awesome.


	16. Senior Year Baby Blues

**Sorry for the delay everyone! I was on vacation in Orlando, and my plans for updating were thwarted. Did you know that the Wi-Fi at Disney resorts blocks the ENTIRE site? Yeah, that was news to me too. So I had to wait until I got back to New Jersey to get this uploaded. **

**Thanks once again to all of you that are reading/reviewing/adding to alerts– it means a great deal to me. If you like what you see or want to see something happen, leave a review and let me know…you never know – it could make it into the story :-)**

**I still don't own what you recognize, and I hope by now, you know what does. And as I've said before, I'm not in the medical profession, so anything technical is from family/friends/reliable sites.**

**This follows the chapter 'Baby Zoe' – enjoy!**

_**Senior Year Baby Blues**_

* * *

It was official: Summer was over.

Well, that's not totally true. Technically there was still a week left for everyone else. Dalton, though, had to have move-in week before classes started, which cut out any last minute plans. Blaine and Kurt were spending their last week before school figuring out what was staying and what needed to be brought to Dalton with them. Zoe's list was definitely longer than theirs, but that was to be expected - babies needed a lot of stuff.

Kurt meant it when he said that he was not intending to pack up the nursery, just so that he'd have to bring half of it home on the weekends - and that included clothes. Nick had made a comment that it would be funny if Zoe had a uniform too, since the whole school wore uniforms already. The only ones that had any variety were the teachers, but even then, most of them stuck to a pattern - men wore simple suits; women wore pant suits and skirts with nice tops.

The more Kurt thought about it, the better the idea sounded. He did factor in the idea that babies make messes, so he couldn't rely on a five outfit system. Instead, he went through Zoe's collection of outfits and found a good number of clothing that matched Dalton's colors. Cooper heard of the plan and bought several almost identical onesies that he was more than happy to get for his niece. Kurt figured that just because he couldn't dress different every day, didn't mean that Zoe had to.

Toys were easier – they were only bringing a couple of things. Once Zoe could focus and move around more, they'd bring more. Furniture had been trickier. Zoe was still sleeping in a bassinet in Kurt and Blaine's bedroom, and if all went well, could still use it for another month at least. If there was one thing that she didn't like yet, it was the crib. Carole and Neal had said that some babies don't take well to it at first, so him using the bassinet for now was fine.

They were worried at first how long it'd last though, since Zoe was not small when she was born. Some bassinets had low weight restrictions. Lucky for them, the bassinet Kurt received at the baby shower from Kevin and Laura was a newer model that was good until the baby reached around 25 pounds or so. It also helped that Zoe, like most newborns, had lost a small amount of weight at first, giving her some extra time to enjoy her bassinet.

Dalton already had closets and dressers in the dorms, but Kurt came up with a different idea for Zoe's stuff. He had gotten some containers and had them arranged on a simple shelving unit. Each one held onesies, outfits, socks, and miscellaneous things, respectively.

They also improvised on a changing table. They had been out shopping and had found one of those benches you would keep at the end of the bed. Instead of using it for storage, they used the drawers underneath to stash diapers, wipes and powder, as well as a pad to use when actually changing Zoe, so nothing got on the seat. This way, they didn't have to drag hers from home, nor did they need to buy a second table.

Kurt had gone over his list and was checking things off as he went. So far, he'd figured out where Zoe was sleeping, how they were organizing her things, and where to change her. He wrote down a note to get his hands on a mini fridge, so that they could keep food and ready-to-use bottles cold. Blaine and himself were sharing the closet and dresser, the desk space, and the bed. There wasn't anything else major that needed to come with them.

He also noted that he'd be using the baby carrier for now as a 'containment zone' for Zoe too; even though he had plenty of volunteers to hold her, he knew that couldn't be her only option. Since she didn't like the crib, the playpen was also out of the question, at least for the time being. Kurt had made a point to Blaine, however, that they'd try weaning her into both when they were at home on the weekends, because like it or not, she'd have to get used to them eventually.

All in all, Kurt was pretty happy with himself. He'd gone to the school the week prior with Blaine to give Zoe a tour and to see their new dorm. With everything on his list more or less taken care of, it was one less thing to stress about. He flipped the page and checked on the schedule that had been set up for 'Dalton-style daycare' as Jeff called it. Zoe would come down for breakfast and lunch, and when she wasn't in the dorms, she'd be with one of the Warblers somewhere around school.

Kurt was still tutoring French, but this semester, only for three nights a week. Depending on what was going on, Zoe would be with someone or come with him. As for Warblers practice, they still needed to see how Zoe would handle it. She seemed to enjoy listening to Kurt and Blaine - and there was that one time that Finn, Puck, Nick and Jeff were jamming out - but the real test would be their first formal meeting with all of the Warblers present.

Even with all of this taken care of, Kurt still had one other thing on his mind. Even though they'd voted for Kurt to replace Wes on the council - they had done an official vote on the last day before summer vacation - he was still contemplating turning the position down. As much as he'd love to be in charge, Kurt was having doubts at being able to do it. He already had tutoring that he was committed to, and with having Zoe at school with him…he wasn't sure if he could handle all of that.

He was worried, simply because he couldn't be as driven as Wes was, or as David and Thad were. It wasn't fair to the rest of the group if he was missing because he had a baby to worry about. Because there was one thing that Kurt was 100% sure about: Zoe would always be his first priority.

David and Thad had told him not to overthink the post. Wes would always be considered as one of a kind, which was probably for the best. The council was basically in charge of keeping everyone on task, assigning parts for songs, minor event planning, and doing what was best for the group. They understood his hesitation and had offered a solution.

Though it wasn't traditional, there had been cases over the years where the council had two or four members. Most of the time, three was enough. David and Thad said that if Kurt wanted to have a fourth council member, or have a co-member to help his spot, that it would be acceptable. They flat out said that before he came, Blaine was always in the running anyway, so if the council was David, Thad, and Klaine, it wouldn't be an issue for anyone.

As far as Blaine was concerned, Kurt was Wes's replacement; he wasn't aware of any of this co-council talk. Kurt had promised the other two that it would be worked out by the time they all met at school. Kurt was actually grateful for the offer. Kurt didn't think he knew enough about being in charge of a group, and since Blaine had been their lead singer for a while, it just made sense to share the position with him. Though Kurt had gotten better, Blaine was the more confident one of the couple, and he knew that every Warbler thought highly of him.

Of course, Kurt still needed to convince Blaine to take the job. He figured he could just surprise him at their first meeting, possible while holding Zoe and pouting. He was sure that would make Blaine take it with minimal fuss if he did all of that.

* * *

"Where's this going?" Finn asked, as he and Puck carried in the storage seat/changing table.

"At the foot of the bed. You just need to swing it around before you drop it - perfect! Thanks." Kurt was trying to be more excited at how the room was turning out. Finn and Puck had been recruited to help with the furniture, while Blaine and Nick were bringing up the other stuff from the car. Kurt had tried to bring up a box of their movies and got yelled at. He was told to keep an eye on Zoe and let them handle the hard labor. Puck, of course, had jokingly said that it was the least they could do, considering Kurt did plenty of hard labor a few weeks ago. Kurt had lightly blushed at that, and kept quiet, forcing Jeff to help him put things away as the other boys brought everything up.

Zoe was awake, but starting to doze in her bassinet, which was left close to the bed and out of the way. Kurt had been lucky to convince Finn and Blaine to let him put Zoe's shelf unit together. He wanted to get as much done as he could, as soon as he could, especially while Zoe wasn't screaming for attention. Not that she screamed much, to be honest - she really was a happy baby.

"So that's the last of it, bro. I think Blaine and Nick are bringing up your schoolbags now. Is there anything that's gotta go back in the car?" Finn asked.

"Just these empty boxes, if you don't mind. It's not like we're going to need them anytime soon." Kurt looked around the room and was content with the layout. "Seriously though - thank you for the help."

"No worries, Princess. If you thought we were just going to sit back and watch you try to move all of this yourself, then you're crazier than I thought. Besides, you know I'll do anything for free pizza...and for the little princess." Kurt just rolled his eyes at Puck.

"You know, you're the only one allowed to call me that, but doesn't it get boring after a while? Santana, while insulting, at least rotates between 'pet names'. Even _Sue _changes it up every once in a while."

"I'll think about it," Puck said with a smirk. "But about that pizza…"

"Do you ever think with anything but your stomach?" Puck opened his mouth, "Don't you dare answer that question Noah."

By the time the pizzas arrived, most of the room was unpacked and put away. Puck, Nick and Finn offered to bring the last few empty boxes down to the car and wait for the pizza delivery. In the meantime, Zoe had woken up and wanted to eat too. Jeff grabbed one of her bottles while Kurt made himself comfortable on the bed. Blaine picked Zoe up and handed her to Kurt, who went from crying to sniffling, just from being placed in Kurt's arms. Jeff handed him the bottle and when the others came back into the room with pizza and soda, Zoe was dozing off again.

"I forgot to tell you that my mom said she's super jealous of you."

"Why's that, Nick?" asked Kurt.

"Jeff and I mentioned how good of a baby Zoe is and my mother went off on a mini rant about how loud and cranky her children were. Couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or really meant it though…"

Jeff smirked, "Oh she meant it alright, and I hope you realized she meant all three of you. She was giving me tips on how to deal with cranky children, though she said that you hadn't really outgrown that phase yet." The rest of the boys laughed at the pout on Nick's face.

"Don't worry Nick; you know your mother loves you. She's just teasing. I admit, I'm still playing the skeptic and waiting for the other shoe to drop. At least I'm not as paranoid as Finn."

Finn shuddered, "Dude, you were not in that baby class with me. I was freaking out, thinking that having a baby home was going to be the worst thing ever! That one woman almost gave me nightmares."

Puck and Blaine looked at each other and asked Finn which woman he was referring to.

"The older woman that came to one class - the rude grandmother? We split into groups one day and we got separated. You two had the fun group and everyone in mine ended up traumatized."

Puck snapped his fingers, "That day that Tyler left early? Teresa told me that woman was psyching him out real bad. I thought she was kidding."

Blaine finally realized who they were talking about, "Oh _her._ I asked Susan about her and she said that she was a bitter, senile, old woman and kicked her out of the class...told her to take a chill pill before opening her mouth again."

Jeff, Nick and Kurt just stared at the trio before looking at each other. "You mean Crazy Mrs. Grady? She crashed one of my birthing classes. Erin had to call hospital security and kick her out. She was yelling and making no sense - she sent Maria into labor, she was so scared. Luckily, she was due soon anyway, and she and her son were fine."

Blaine looked at Jeff, "When did this happen? I always went with Kurt to his classes."

"Remember when you high on cold medicine a few months ago? I volunteered to take him while Nick made sure you stayed in bed."

"Oh...I don't remember much of that week at all."

"Dude you were so out of it - next time I'm recording you when you're stoned on cold meds. It was hilarious." Blaine blushed at Puck's teasing, who toned it down once he felt the wrath of Kurt's glare.

* * *

Not too much later, Finn and Puck headed home, while Nick and Jeff left to get their rooms situated. Kurt was tired and was leaning into Blaine heavily, enjoying the way Blaine ran his fingers through his hair. Zoe was asleep, and would be for, hopefully, a few hours more. Blaine looked at the clock and felt ready for bed, even though it was only 9:30 pm. He made sure Kurt was comfortable on the bed before heading into the shower. After spending the whole day moving, he was looking forward to a hot shower.

He was surprised to see Kurt awake and attempting to get ready for bed when he exited the bathroom. Kurt didn't seem aware that Blaine had reentered the room, too focused on his skin care routine, which had been shortened to a much easier-to-manage routine. Once Kurt entered his third trimester, he had experienced several nights where he had almost fallen asleep at his vanity. Watching him now was hard; it was like his heart wasn't in it.

Blaine was worried about his boyfriend. Kurt seemed to be quieter than usual and often looked like he was not really with it. His appetite hadn't been all that great for a while as well; yeah, Kurt ate when he had food, but Blaine couldn't remember the last time Kurt finished a plate. He'd actually asked Kurt if he was purposely not eating much, as a misguided effort to lose weight, but Kurt had told him that he just wasn't as hungry as before.

The tiredness was expected. Even though Zoe was a good baby, she was still only a month old. She woke up every few hours crying, but it usually wasn't a problem. Granted, Kurt had probably gotten less sleep than Blaine, but not so much more that he should be in the state he's in. Little by little, this new Kurt was getting noticed. Finn and Puck had been suspicious and after talking it over with Burt and Carole, they wondered if Kurt was suffering from postpartum depression, or at least some kind of post baby blues.

Jeff was worried too. He thought that since Kurt seemed fine after having Zoe, that he wouldn't get it. After talking to Carole about it, he found out that postpartum varied from case to case, and sometimes took time before it hit. He wasn't fully convinced that Kurt had it, but he had to admit that Kurt wasn't his happy normal self.

Blaine waited for Kurt to notice he was standing behind him. Kurt finished his bedtime ritual and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He jumped a little when he turned around, confirming Blaine's suspicion that Kurt hadn't noticed him there.

"Geez, Blaine. Warn a guy...I didn't hear you get out of the bathroom."

"Kurt, I've been standing here for ten minutes." Blaine watched Kurt's mouth open and close, not knowing how to respond. Blaine walked up to him and gently pulled him onto the bed. He saw his sweetheart's tired eyes, leaned back against the headboard, and tucked them both in. He wasn't sure what to say, but didn't have to wait long for a response.

"I think something's wrong with me." Blaine looked down at Kurt, not liking the lost look in his eyes.

"What do you mean, Kurt?" Blaine wanted Kurt to tell him how he was feeling, hoping and dreading to hear his answer.

"I don't know. I feel off, I guess. I know some of you have noticed. I'm tired, I haven't been eating well - and not for lack of trying - sometimes it's an effort to feel happy. I don't understand why; I was fine a few weeks ago. I have a wonderful boyfriend and gave birth to an angel of a daughter, so why aren't I happy?"

Blaine kept stroking Kurt's hair, feeling him relax the longer he kept it up. "I think the having a baby part is the main culprit. Your hormones have been all over the place for months, and now your body is trying to get back in sync. This is normal, and we'll handle it just like we've handled everything else."

Kurt was quiet for a few minutes, "You think I have PPD, don't you? I was hoping to avoid that. I was fine until a couple of weeks ago."

Blaine just hugged Kurt closer to him. "Honey, if you had managed to avoid it entirely, I would've been really shocked. I'm just glad you've noticed that you haven't been yourself lately. I was worried about bringing it up. I think you're just a little stressed out right now, and that's why I was grateful that you were okay with moving back here so early in the week."

"How does us being here early help, exactly?"

"Well, it's just the three of us living together. We have a routine that we've been using the last month, and we still need to tweak it for school days. And don't think I've forgotten about the whole separation anxiety thing either. That's why Nick and Jeff are here early too."

"Why? So they can watch me have panic attacks?"

"No. We're going to have a day out tomorrow. You've been spending all your time at home with Zoe - you need a change of scenery. Niff will take care of Zoe, while I take care of you. All I'm asking for is for a few hours to have you to myself. You trust me, don't you?"

"I do, and I'm sorry. You're right - I haven't made much of an attempt to do more than stay home with Zoe, but I'm willing to try."

Blaine smiled and kissed the top of Kurt's head. "I promise this will help, but if at any point you want to come back here, we will. I'm not going to keep you away from your daughter - that would be mean."

Kurt laughed softly, "And planning on kidnapping me isn't?"

"It's not kidnapping if I warn you ahead of time. Get some sleep; I'll handle Zoe when she wakes up." Kurt was asleep minutes later, proving how tired he really was. Blaine heard Zoe moving around and knew that was his cue to get his plan rolling. He quietly got out of the bed and made his way over to Zoe, who just needed her blanket adjusted.

Blaine opened the side table drawer and pulled out a pair of familiar headphones. When Blaine put them on Kurt that first time months ago, he thought he was crazy, but they really did help. Kurt had never been a very deep sleeper but during his third trimester, he woke up to sounds that never bothered him before. Blaine had found the headphones in one of the boxes that Cooper had left for him. Blaine had used them to tune out his parents and blast his music as loud as he could stand. It had worked wonders for Kurt, who was finally able to sleep undisturbed.

Blaine maneuvered the headphones onto Kurt's ears, barely moving as he did so. He clapped a few times and Kurt didn't move at all. Zoe did, and Blaine let her cry for a few seconds, further proving that Kurt wasn't able to hear anything. He took care of Zoe and she was back to sleep in no time.

Thus, the first part of his master plan was in motion.

* * *

Blaine woke up with Zoe only twice during the night, the second time acting as an alarm clock of sorts, since it was a little after seven in the morning. Kurt looked like he hadn't moved at all during the night. Blaine got Zoe fed and cleaned up before he packed up the diaper bag with everything she'd need on her day out. At first, Blaine was just going to have Nick pick her up without Kurt seeing her, but scratched that idea. He was already putting Kurt on edge with his impending 'kidnapping', so having Zoe missing when he woke up probably wouldn't go over well.

Blaine gently took the headphones off of Kurt's ears and put them away. He sat on the bed and began to coax Kurt awake.

"Kurt. Sweetheart, it's time to get up." Kurt reacted by burying his head into his pillow and mumbling something about the time. "Kurt, it's after eight already." Kurt's eyes flew open and he sat up on the bed, not believing Blaine. Sure enough, the clock was showing a time of 8:09 am.

"Did you drug me last night or something? How the hell didn't I wake up at all? There's no freaking way Zoe slept the whole night." Blaine was expecting this, so he took Kurt's hands in his and explained.

"No I didn't drug you. I used the headphones, and took care of Zoe when she woke up twice. You actually slept a full ten hours last night, undisturbed...how do you feel?"

Kurt stared at Blaine for a moment, still trying to calm his heart rate. _I slept all night?_ he thought. "Good, I guess. I don't remember the last time I did that."

"That's why that was part one of your day: Getting a full night's sleep. Now, Zoe is up and ready to go, so how about you say good morning and tell her you'll see her later while I call Nick? He's gonna take care of her with Jeff." Kurt opened his mouth to protest. "No - you need a break, and Zoe needs to get used to other people when you're not in the immediate vicinity. Trust me."

Kurt sighed in defeat and nodded. Blaine smiled and passed Zoe to Kurt, who was in a good mood herself. Kurt smiled at her and gently rocked her in his arms. Blaine called Nick and said to come over whenever to pick her up. He hung up his cell in time to hear Kurt gasp.

"Blaine - look!" Blaine came over to the bed and saw the Kurt tearing up again, but he was smiling. He looked at Zoe and found out why.

She was smiling back.

"She hasn't done that yet, has she? Oh look how cute you are, sweetie." Blaine smiled hard and snapped a quick picture with his phone. He had been waiting for Zoe to do that since she was born.

"See - and you were worried that you were doing something wrong. She looks pretty happy to me." Kurt made a noise as if agreeing with Blaine, but he was too focused on Zoe's face to do much else. A few minutes later, they heard a knock on the door. Blaine got off of the bed and opened the door to see a wide awake Nick and a not-so-awake Jeff.

"We're here to take your kid - why are you so happy?" Nick asked as Jeff went over to the bed. He let off a soft squeal and quickly pulled Nick closer to see.

"She's smiling Nick! She is even cuter now!" Nick and Blaine rolled their eyes and laughed at the bouncing blonde. Kurt chuckled before kissing Zoe and handing her off to Jeff. Blaine stared, not expecting him to give her up so easily, but he wasn't about to complain.

"You two better take care of her or no one will be able to find your bodies, understood? I'm going to get dressed and freshen up, and I expect you three gone when I get back. Otherwise, I'm going to back out of Blaine's plans and that would be rude." Kurt kissed Zoe one more time before jumping into the bathroom. The boys stared at each other in shock.

"Did you drug him last night or something?"

"Why do I keep getting asked that?" Blaine ignored Nick's laughter and threw the diaper bag at his head, before pushing the trio out the door. Kurt seemed genuinely excited to go out, and Blaine was taking full advantage of that.

* * *

Blaine didn't have any real plans, simply because he didn't expect to get Kurt out of their dorm in the first place. So he decided to just play it by ear. First thing he did was take Kurt off campus for breakfast. There was a café that they'd gone to before that served pancakes that Kurt said were some of the best he'd ever had, after Blaine's and his mother's, of course. That was Blaine's best bet at getting Kurt back to eating better.

And it worked. Kurt managed to just finish his short stack and seemed pretty happy with himself. Blaine took him out afterwards and they spent the day roaming around Westerville, with no real destination in mind. Kurt did start feeling anxious by mid-afternoon, but a few picture texts from Jeff alleviated some of his anxiety.

Blaine had been watching Kurt since they'd left and was amazed at how well Kurt was handling being away from Zoe. Today's outing would be the longest time Kurt and Zoe had been separated. Blaine's initial idea was to keep Kurt away from Zoe for at least the same amount of time as a typical school day. Since Kurt hadn't been begging to return to Dalton, they grabbed an early dinner at Westerville's equivalent to Beadstix, a nice little place called Aggie's, where Kurt surprised Blaine again by managing to clear his plate and by talking about how he'd been feeling lately.

Blaine sat through dinner and their stroll back to Dalton afterwards just listening to Kurt talk, prompting questions every once in a while to keep things moving. By the time they got back to their dorm room, Kurt could honestly say that his somewhat forced day out was something that he needed, but said that he'd feel even better once he had Zoe back. A quick text to Nick and Zoe was returned, sleepy, content and in one piece. Kurt gave Nick and Jeff his thanks and said goodnight. Zoe fell asleep pretty quickly after that, leaving Kurt and Blaine awake, but tired.

Kurt said that he was going to take a shower and asked Blaine to pick a movie to watch before they went to bed. While Kurt was in the bathroom, he made a quick phone call to Burt and Carole, who had been waiting to hear how Kurt was feeling. Blaine could tell right away that the couple put him on speakerphone, so they could hear each other better. After some quick 'hellos', it didn't take much for Burt to ask how their day went.

"Much better than expected, although the full night of sleep seemed to be the key to a good start."

"How did you get him to sleep?" asked Carole, who shushed Burt and smacked him for muttering something about drugging his son.

"Oh my god, I didn't drug him! Remember the headphones I used while he was pregnant - the noise cancelling ones? Once he fell asleep last night, I put them on him so he wouldn't wake up when Zoe did. I took care of her when she woke up twice, and only had to deal with a slightly panicky Kurt when he woke up. I had Zoe packed up and ready to go before he did, hoping that he wouldn't fight me on doing this whole day out.

"He didn't put up too much of a fight when Nick and Jeff showed up to take Zoe, though he did threaten bodily harm. I think her smiling helped put him at ease."

Carole laughed, "He gets that from Burt - I wouldn't expect anything less."

"Hey!" Burt protested.

"Sorry dear, but it's true. Wait, Zoe smiled? A real smile?"

"Don't worry I took a picture. It was kinda funny actually. After that, Kurt willingly gave Zoe to Jeff, I threw the diaper bag at Nick's head and they were gone before Kurt was dressed."

"Why did you throw the bag at his head?" Carole asked.

"Because he accused me of drugging Kurt. I let it slide with Kurt because, seriously, I would've asked the same thing. Anyway, we got pancakes for breakfast, which he managed to finish, before we spent the day wandering around town. We made it until around 2:30 or so before he started to get antsy, but Jeff sent a couple of texts proving that Zoe was fine, which seemed to help. We had dinner and talked, and eventually got back here."

"How was the talking part? What was he stressing over?" asked Burt.

"Pretty much what we figured: Zoe, school, Warblers stuff, senior year, us. He finally mentioned something that David and Thad told him to think about regarding the council. The two of us will be co-captains, of sorts. He was concerned that he wouldn't be as focused as he should for the group and was considering stepping down. Luckily, those two told him he didn't need to be the next Wes, and gave him an out.

"He also didn't think he would've lasted the whole day away from Zoe and he was able to prove to himself that he could, which brought his stress level down some more. We talked about what our daily routines would be like starting next week, and that helped a lot as well."

"Any parent that has to leave their child with others, even if it's someone you know and trust, is a difficult thing to do. It'll get easier, but it's a major adjustment. I'm glad he did as well as he did."

Blaine agreed with Carole, "Yeah, I'm not sure who was more surprised about that part. He was definitely in a better mood by the time we got back. He asked for Zoe and the boys brought her over ready for bed. Kurt's finishing up in the bathroom and we're gonna watch a movie before we go to bed."

Blaine was lost in thought for a minute, thinking over their earlier conversation. "I don't think we need to worry about Kurt having postpartum depression; I think it was all mainly stress. We discussed a lot of things that had been bothering him, but it was mostly him being too hard on himself. He didn't want to let anyone down, and was afraid to really just ask for help. I told him that we loved him and that I don't plan on leaving anytime soon.

"He was also feeling insecure about himself. He thought I wouldn't want to be with him looking the way he does. He's convinced that if he can't get rid of the weight he gained, that I'll leave him. He's so focused on thoughts like that, he hasn't noticed that he's already lost several pounds as it is. Personally, I think he looks better now; I always felt he was a little on the skinny side."

Blaine heard Burt sigh in relief. "I wish he wasn't so damn independent all the time. Did he really think we were just gonna hang him out to dry?"

"Pregnancy messes with your head and your emotions," said Carole. "Believe me, I understand where he's coming from. The important thing is to remember that we didn't ignore this and it's being taken care of. Blaine will let us know if there are any other problems, and we'll make sure that we keep tabs on him ourselves. As long as Kurt has our love and support, he'll be fine."

"Couldn't have said it any better myself. I'll be sure to let you know if anything comes up. But Burt, can I ask you about one thing? Has Kurt had problems before with his weight? Months ago when he first started gaining weight, he almost had a panic attack about it, and don't get me started on how he reacted when he hit 45 pounds," Blaine heard the shower stop and knew he was running out of time.

"The weight issue started back when Kurt was a baby. You know that he was a preemie. Well, we had a hard time getting him to keep his weight up, and that lasted for most of his childhood. While it slowly got better as he got older, it was still a struggle sometimes to get him to eat. When he got older, some kids in school teased him into thinking that he was fat when they weren't exactly small themselves. That's really when his healthy food phase started, and while it's annoying at times, at least he's eating."

Though Blaine couldn't see them, Carole was staring at Burt in shock. If she was honest, she had always been curious about Kurt's eating habits, since they were so opposite from Burt's. She was going to ask him something, but he shook his head and mouthed 'later', so she let it go for now. Blaine took the moment of silence to end the conversation.

"Listen, Kurt's almost done, so I'm going to hang up. Don't go too far, because I have a feeling that Kurt's going to call you and tell you how his forced day out was."

"We'll be here. Thank you Blaine. Let us know if any of you need anything."

"Thanks. I'll talk to you both later. Night." Blaine hung up and looked over at their bookcase, making a slight mess as if he couldn't decide what movie he wanted to watch, and to make it look like he hadn't just had a deep conversation with his boyfriend's parents.

"You having a conniption or something, honey? Usually you just grab the same movie or two and we spend ten minutes debating which is the better choice." Blaine turned around and grinned at Kurt.

"I didn't know what I was in the mood for, and then I noticed that they weren't in any kind of order, so I was organizing them." Kurt rolled his eyes and made his way over to Blaine and randomly picked a movie.

"We'll watch this. Go take a shower so we can snuggle. Zoe won't be awake for a while yet. I'll probably give Dad a call while you're doing that. I missed his call earlier, and I promised to call him back." Kurt gave Blaine a little push towards the bathroom.

"Alright, alright, I'm going. Tell him I said 'hi'. I'll be right out." Blaine took his time grabbing some pajamas and was laughing to himself as he listened to Kurt tell his father how annoying and endearing his boyfriend was. Kurt hadn't been this animated for some time, and everyone was glad to see him almost back to normal.

Kurt had just hung up when Blaine left the bathroom. The movie was all set so all Blaine had to do was jump on the bed. Kurt got under the covers and had immediately snuggled up to Blaine. They were about a third of the way in, when Blaine heard Kurt sigh.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm better than okay, especially after everything you did for me today. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Kurt. I was worried about you, and I couldn't just sit around and wait for you to tell me what was wrong."

"I know, and I'm sorry about that. I've just been so down lately and I wasn't sure why. I have to admit, getting out and doing something helped, the talking too. I was afraid that I wouldn't make sense, and I didn't want to be a bother."

"See, that's something you always seem to forget about. I love you. If you ever feel overwhelmed or worried, talk to me. I'm here for you, and even though sometimes I wish I was, I'm not psychic. Next time you feel like this, let me know. Just because you're the mama, doesn't mean you're the only one that worries." Blaine laughed as he heard Kurt moan into his chest.

"I had a feeling you were going to say that, and I love you too. My dad said something that got me thinking. He mentioned that my independence is one of those things that's a blessing and a curse. I never looked at it that way, but he had a point. I've never been good at talking to people about how I feel. Granted, Dad and I have improved since I came out, but you're the only person I feel completely comfortable to talk to - about anything. I don't think I've ever really thanked you for that."

"You never have to thank me, Kurt. We're in this together, and I promise that I'll always be here for you, Zoe too. No matter what happens, I'll always be here to lend an ear, a shoulder, or whatever body part you want. Just remember this: I'll never say goodbye to you. The sooner you get that through your head, the better."

"So we're stuck with each other forever? I think I like the sound of that."

* * *

After his little intervention, Kurt was doing much better and feeling more like his normal self. He still wasn't 100%, but getting there. He figured that if he could get through the first full day of school, then that was a sign that this year would be manageable. The routine they were aiming for was something like this:

Zoe would wake them up by six, hopefully after sleeping most of the night through. They would take turns getting ready, so that by a quarter to seven, the three of them were out the door and heading down for breakfast. They were hoping to be up and downstairs by seven, pass off Zoe off to her first sitter of the day, and be in class at eight. They left plenty of time for any unexpected problems - oversleeping, fussy Zoe - so that everyone could be wherever they needed to be on time.

Over the last week as more of the students made it on campus, Zoe was passed around and introduced to all of the current Warblers, causing anyone that met her to instantly fall in love. It turned out that the now sophomore and junior Warblers were surprisingly awesome with Zoe. It was then determined that they could fill in as backups in case anyone else became unavailable to watch Zoe during the day for whatever reason.

The true test came Monday morning.

Zoe, thankfully, didn't put up much of a fuss in being packed up so early. They made a bottle to feed her once they made it to breakfast, and double-checked her bag. Initially, Zoe was going to be staying in the dorms for the most part, but when they were making arrangements, they had forgotten to take into account the distance between the dorms and the rest of the school. So it was decided that it would be easier for one sitter to meet the next one in designated spots. Kurt had memorized the schedule and knew the alternates, as well as when he'd get to see Zoe during the day.

Nick's free period was first. He'd take Zoe from Kurt at breakfast and keep her occupied until he could pass her off to David by the computer lab. David would meet Thad in the science hallway, who'd pass her off to Jeff on his way to Italian. Jeff and Trent would swap Zoe for books - they had split the cost for the reading assignments for English. Trent was in charge of bringing Zoe to lunch or risk Kurt's wrath. Afterwards, Blaine would put her down for a nap in the Warbler hall - since they would have practice three days a week once they got going - and wait for Beatz to come. He probably had it easiest, since she'd be sleeping until Kurt - and whoever else - came to pick her up. If there was rehearsal, they'd stay; if not, they'd find somewhere else to go. The younger Warblers were on standby, just in case.

At breakfast, it was easy to see that Kurt was not giving up Zoe until the last possible second. When it was time to leave, Blaine had to gently pry Zoe from Kurt so that they could get to class on time. Nick told Kurt that it would be lunch in no time, and that she'd be fine until then. It took some doing, but between Jeff and Trent, Kurt was dragged away from his daughter, while Zoe seemed content to just smile at Nick from her carrier.

"Welcome to your first day of school, Zoe. I know it's a bit early for you to be here, but we're going to have fun. But before we go…" Nick grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a note on it, placed it on Zoe's lap and snapped a picture. Nick laughed and sent it to Kurt, hoping it would help a little bit.

"I bet Mama is going to like that, what do you think?" Nick got a spit bubble as a response. "Good answer sweetie."

_**-Meanwhile, on the other side of the school-**_

"You know what? I've changed my mind - I can't do this." Kurt attempted to turn around, but was stopped by Jeff and Trent.

"Oh no you don't. You can do this. You just have to make it through five classes, and then you can hold her during lunch. She'll be fine. We watched her last week, and that went well."

Kurt bit his lip, "Yeah I know...but at least then, I could go to her. I can't skip classes. What if something happens?" An incoming text interrupted his panic attack. He waited for the picture to load and the other two boys watched as the tension lessoned in Kurt's shoulders. "Never mind...let's go to class." Trent and Jeff were both thinking _WTF!_ And quickly followed Kurt down the hall. Before either of them could question him, Jeff's phone beeped. Once he saw the picture and shared it with Trent, it became clear.

The picture was of Zoe with a piece of paper that said, real big:

**LEARN ME SUMFIN MAMA! I SEES U L8R!**

What made it unique was the misspelled word and text slang, not to mention that a couple of the letters were backwards. The highlight was of Zoe smiling. Both boys decided that if Kurt was going to make it through today, this was the way to do it. Jeff told Nick to tell David to do something similar and pass it on to the rest of the boys. It was cute and easy to do, and made everyone happy.

Especially Kurt.

By lunchtime, Kurt was less anxious, not just because he was able to see Zoe for the first time since breakfast, but because the boys had made the first day away from her easier to handle. He received good reports from all five boys so far, and Zoe was happy and content. He was so thrilled to have her back for lunch, that when it was time for Blaine to take her, Kurt thought he was joking.

Sadly, Kurt had to hand her over to his boyfriend so he could go to his next class. Jeff once again dragged Kurt away as Blaine packed them up and headed towards the Warblers' room to put her down for a nap. She was almost asleep just from Kurt holding her, so it didn't take long for Blaine to get her settled. When Beatz arrived to take over, Zoe was still asleep. He took the last picture of the day and sent it to Kurt, knowing that as soon as his last class finished, Kurt would be flying in the room within minutes.

Sure enough, six minutes after classes ended for the day, Kurt showed up and ran right up to Zoe's carrier. As if knowing he was there, Zoe started to move around and cry, indicating that she wanted to be picked up and fed. Kurt complied quickly, gently rocking Zoe while Beatz laughed and shook up a bottle for her.

"Hello baby – I missed you so much today." Beatz stood over to the side and mock pouted, "What am I – chopped liver?" Kurt didn't respond right away, too focused on cuddling Zoe. "Kurt?"

"Don't say anything right now, Jon. It's been a long day." Beatz was only a little shocked at hearing his name – the Warblers usually didn't – but he let it slide, knowing Kurt had had a long day. Once she was eating, Kurt sighed and looked at Beatz, who was standing by, amused and concerned at the same time.

"Kurt, are you alright? You seemed fine all day. We thought the texts would help you out a little bit."

"Oh they did; believe me they did." Kurt sighed, "I'm sorry. I just couldn't help the feeling that I was abandoning her. I knew she was in capable hands…I just…"

"Don't be sorry. I get it – it's hard. And for the record, she missed you too. You should be proud of yourself for making it through the first day of school in one piece, Zoe too."

Kurt weakly smiled at him as the other boys filed into the room. Blaine walked over to them and saw the smirk on Beatz's face and the look of relief on Kurt's. "I guess someone is happy to be done class for the day."

Kurt slightly glared at Blaine while Beatz just laughed. "Yes I'm happy to be done for the day, smartass. If you were me, you'd be feeling the same way."

Blaine knew it had been a long day for Kurt, so being the good boyfriend he was, he shut up and pulled Kurt into a hug. "I'm sorry - I couldn't resist a little teasing. Just think, four more days and it's the weekend." Kurt groaned into Blaine's shoulder.

"You just had to go there, didn't you?"

"Sorry sweetheart. I love you."

"You know what? I think you should sleep on the floor for that," said Beatz.

Blaine stared at him in shock, "What!"

Kurt laughed and looked first at Beatz, then Blaine. "That's an idea…unless you can make it up to me."

Blaine raised an eyebrow at him, "And how, pray tell, can I make it up to you?"

Kurt just smirked and said, "I'm sure you can think of something," before walking over to the couch to join Jeff. Blaine's jaw dropped and Beatz was bent over laughing.

"Dude - you should've quit while you were ahead."

"Shut up Jon."

Nick saw a dejected Blaine and made his way over to the two boys. "What just happened over here?"

"Blaine was being smart so I suggested to Kurt that he sleep on the floor. Kurt decided to be sassy and said that Blaine should then find a way to make it up to him."

Nick looked at Beatz for a moment before turning to Blaine, "Make up to him how? Judging by his reaction," pointing at Beatz, "he's thinking in the gutter. I didn't think you two were doing that yet."

Beatz finally stopped laughing and stared at the two of them. "Wait – you and Kurt haven't…"

Blaine blushed in response, "No, we haven't gone that far yet."

Beatz looked a little guilty, "My bad. What did Kurt mean, then, when he said that? I mean, the_ way_ he said that…"

It was finally Blaine's turn to smirk, "What? Just because we don't have sex, doesn't mean we don't do plenty of other things in the meantime." After saying that, he walked off, leaving Nick laughing at Beatz's expense.

"I am so confused right now."

Nick clapped Beatz on the shoulder and started propelling him toward one of the chairs. "You'd think by now you'd know when to stop and walk away." The other boy was still mumbling to himself, "They don't have sex but do 'other things'? What the hell does that even _mean_?"

Kurt noticed the dazed look on Beatz's face as Nick led him to a seat. "Blaine, darling, what did you say to him? He looks traumatized."

Blaine smiled sweetly, "Nothing, dear. He's just a little overwhelmed at the moment, that's all."

Nick rolled his eyes and whispered to Kurt what just happened, resulting in a smack to Blaine's arm.

"OW! What was that for!"

"For implying things and messing with Jon's head. I was talking about a massage or a coffee date, and you just _suggest_ something like that? You're on the floor tonight." With that, Kurt got up and moved to another sofa, leaving a flabbergasted Blaine behind.


	17. Blast from the Past

**Has it really been a month? I started this chapter three weeks ago, and I finished most of this over the last week. Minor writer's block, so my apologies for the lateness. It seems like I'm actually moving forward in time, at least for now. And I'm proud of myself for adding a picture for the story! It only took me an hour on Paint, to get one that would show up well in the little spot…Yes, it's only the title on a solid background, but at least it's something, right?**

**Once again, thank you to everyone who has reviewed/favorite/or even just clicked on this story. I love you guys!**

**This chapter is where we welcome Sebastian. Now, if you're hoping for an evil Sebastian, you will be disappointed. I've become fond of a nice Sebastian that is not trying to get in between Blaine and Kurt. In this chapter, we find a stalker-ish Sebastian, only to find out that he's an old friend of Blaine's. i was re-watching Season 2 and got an idea...then i searched on here and found that a few people have used it already :sigh: oh well. So in case it's not clear, Sebastian was Blaine's date at the Sadie Hawkin's dance.**

**This follows 'Senior Year Baby Blues' – enjoy reading and don't forget to review.**

_**Blast from the Past**_

* * *

After the first day of school, leaving Zoe with the guys became easier for Kurt to handle. After the first week or so, Kurt had asked them to go easy on the texting. He was dealing with the separation anxiety as well as expected, and he felt that texts weren't necessary every time there was a sitter change. However, after one day when they stopped entirely, Kurt agreed that one every so often was still needed, not just for his sanity, but for the sake of everyone else around him.

Zoe, on the other hand, was fine and took to her multiple sitters without much complaint, though everyone could tell when she knew she was waiting for Kurt, or Blaine, to show up.

Blaine wouldn't admit it, but he had a hard time saying 'goodbye' to Zoe every morning, as well. Granted, he handled it better than Kurt - the fact that he got to watch her during the day was a bonus - but she was his little girl too. He proudly showed her off as his daughter to anyone and everyone they came in contact with. Kurt thought it was a little excessive, but watching Blaine's eyes light up whenever someone commented on how cute they looked together, or how much she looked like the two of them, was enough to make Kurt let it go.

As far as anyone was concerned, Zoe's parents _were _Kurt and Blaine, with Kurt being known as 'mama' and Blaine being 'daddy'. Kurt had weakly argued for something else but Jeff calling him 'mama' for the last few months had ended that argument, and if Kurt was being honest about it, he didn't really mind all that much.

Zoe had also been named the new Warbler mascot. She was at every rehearsal and if she had been napping beforehand, she woke up in time to watch the boys practice or mess around. It would still be awhile until she could move around on her own, but she was already trying to mimic Kurt's shimmy and did her best in the confinement of her carrier.

Kurt's family had also adapted to not having a baby in the house full-time, some better than others. It had surprised Kurt at first how upset Burt and Finn had gotten at not having the little girl at home; Carol had just rolled her eyes and laughed. Kurt did feel a little guilty, so he had agreed to Skyping every other night.

By the time a month had gone by, everyone had gotten used to new schedules and routines. Kurt and Blaine were doing their best balancing schoolwork, Warblers, and parenthood. Granted, there were minor issues along the way - Kurt still had some separation anxiety, Zoe sleeping through the night was still very rare, Blaine sometimes doubted his parental skills - but they got by for the most part.

The first real problem came near the end of September, which resulted in Kurt skipping school for the first time.

* * *

"Are you sure you will be okay? I don't like the idea of leaving you here all day by yourselves." Blaine was putting his tie on and watching Kurt rock a sick and fussy Zoe in his arms.

"We'll be fine. I took her down to see the nurse at five and I already emailed my teachers explaining the situation, as well as sending them any assignments that are due today. Hopefully she'll be able to get some sleep, and I'll pretend I'm in classes today by following the syllabi so I won't fall behind."

Kurt tried to put Zoe down in the bassinet, only to find that she wasn't happy with that. Kurt sighed and resumed rocking her in his arms. Blaine looked on and felt bad that he couldn't stick around to help them out.

"I guess...doesn't mean I like it."

Kurt sighed, "We don't really have a choice today, and honestly, I'm surprised we made it a month before I had to skip a day. Nurse Cara said that Zoe should be back to normal in no time, but she'll be clingy and fussy until she feels better. _I_ feel bad that she won't go to you."

Blaine gave Kurt a sad smile, "She's sick and she wants her mama, and who am I to get in the way? Besides, once she's better, we'll make up for lost time." Blaine sat next to Kurt on the bed. "I'll stay with you if you want."

Kurt smiled and gave Blaine a quick kiss, and a light shove. "You're sweet. Thanks for the offer, but there's no reason for both of us to skip. You have a test you can't miss anyway. I'll keep you posted throughout the day, and give my regrets to the boys - I'm pretty sure I won't be at rehearsal later."

Blaine groaned, "Aw, but we're doing _Uptown Girls_ today! Nick's been psyched about this for the last two weeks."

"I know, but I'm sure you guys will have no problem doing the number anyway. I doubt my absence will hinder your performance."

"But I'll miss you," he pouted.

"And I'll miss you too. Now, stop pouting and get a move on, otherwise you're going to be late."

Blaine sighed, but got up to grab his bag and his blazer. "Just text me if she gets any worse or you need help." He gave both of them a kiss before leaving the room. Nick met up with him on the stairs and shoved a bagel in his hands.

"Kurt texted me and said that you were running late. I grabbed breakfast for you two."

"Thanks Nick. I'll catch up with you later, alright?" Nick waved him off and walked into the room to find Kurt and Zoe right where Blaine had left them.

"Hey Kurt. I come bearing breakfast. How are you holding up?"

"Could be better. She's got a slight temp and a cough, but she's settled down some. I've been up since four… I think."

Nick put down the tray on the desk before sitting next to Kurt and Zoe on the bed. "She doesn't look too bad...that's good right? Did you see Nurse Cara?"

"Yeah. We went a little after five. She had some baby Tylenol and checked Zoe out. It's just a little sniffle, and she should be fine in a day or two, but she said that if Zoe's temperature went over a 100 to bring her back. We're in the 'I don't want anyone but Mama' stage; I had to hold her while Nurse Cara checked her out, and she wouldn't go near Blaine at all. It hurts that I can't make her feel better."

Nick gave Kurt a half-hug, "If it helps, I think you're doing pretty well so far. I was expecting to hear Zoe screaming like a banshee or something. I think we can handle some whimpering. Do you want us to come up and sit with you two during the day?"

"You don't have to. I'm hoping Zoe will fall asleep soon, so maybe I can get some sleep. And since she won't go to anyone else right now…"

"All you have to do is let us know. We just want to help, and if staying away helps, we'll do that. Trent already volunteered to get lunch for you so Blaine can come right up. That way you'll have him for lunch and his study period. You gonna skip practice today?" Nick grabbed the bowl of fruit off of the tray and held it so Kurt could eat while still holding onto Zoe.

Kurt sighed, "More than likely. I'm sorry I'll miss your number today, but I know you're gonna kill it. I won't be much help anyway - if I don't take a nap before then, I'll be a zombie. It's not quite the impression I want to make on the new members."

Nick chuckled, "Well, it's not like you planned on Zoe getting sick, and I'm sure we won't mind re-doing the number later, just for you." Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Well, _I _won't; and if they mind, I'll just bribe them into doing it again."

"Of that, I don't doubt." Kurt glanced at the clock. "You might wanna get a move on - I don't want you to be late to class either. I almost had to push Blaine out the door earlier, and I'll do it to you as well if I have to."

Nick huffed, "Fine, I'm going, I'm going. I'll text the guys to hang back and leave you two alone. If you change your mind, just text whoever's on duty, got that? In the meantime, try to get some rest."

"We will thanks. See you later." Nick waved as he closed the door, leaving Kurt alone with Zoe.

"Well, it's just us now, baby girl. You wanna try and sleep a little for Mama? I'll even hold you too." Kurt propped a few pillows against the head of the bed and slowly reclined against them. Zoe whined a little at the movement, but eventually settled. Kurt turned the ringer down on his phone and watched Zoe's eyes close. Not long after she had fallen asleep, Kurt followed suit, hoping to catch up on some sleep himself.

* * *

True to his word, Trent was one of the first in the cafeteria. He filled up a tray with food and handed it to Blaine as soon as he walked in. Blaine quickly made his way back to the dorms, wondering how Kurt was making out with Zoe. Nick had let him know that Kurt was planning on taking a nap, so if he didn't hear from him by lunch, not to worry too much.

Once he made it to their room, he slowly opened the door to see the rest of his family passed out on the bed. He put the tray down next to the empty breakfast tray and carefully sat on the bed so he could wake up Kurt. He was surprised to see a pair of bluish-green eyes looking at him, and he wasn't talking about Kurt's.

"Hey baby. Did you have a nice nap?" Blaine gently stroked his fingers against Zoe's forehead, gauging her temperature and showing her some love at the same time. She made a little noise and for a second, Blaine was afraid she was going to start crying again and wake up Kurt. Instead, she calmed down and kept staring at Blaine.

Blaine smiled at her, "You ready to give Mama a break? I bet you need a new diaper by now, and Daddy wants to hold you too." Blaine kept eye contact with Zoe and was able to pick her up and cuddle with her for a minute before she started squirming again. "Yeah, you definitely need a new diaper. Mama still needs sleep so you're stuck with me for a little while."

Ten minutes later, Zoe was changed and slowly drinking a bottle. Kurt hadn't moved since Blaine entered the room, which just showed how tired he was. Zoe managed half of what she normally ate, and was content to just suck on the bottle. Blaine burped her and changed out the bottle for a pacifier. She felt cooler than when he'd left for class, but he gave her another dose of medicine just in case. Not long after, she was content and asleep in his arms.

"Blaine?" Blaine turned around and saw a now awake Kurt. "When did you get here?"

"Hey there sleepy head. How are you feeling?" Kurt looked confused for a second, and then panicked until he noticed Zoe was in Blaine's arms. "She's fine. I changed her and got her to eat a little bit. She just fell asleep again."

Kurt got off the bed and stretched before walking over to Blaine. "I feel better now that I got some sleep. You brought lunch? Is it that late already?"

"Trent got it for us, and yeah, lunch is almost over. You still have me for another hour though. Hope you don't mind."

Kurt grabbed some food before saying, "Of course I don't mind. I'm just glad Zoe let you hold her. I love her to death, but after a few hours, even I want to put her down for a little bit. Nick tried once to hold her this morning and that didn't go well at all. She must be feeling a little better then. Did you give her more Tylenol?"

"Yeah. She feels a lot cooler than she did this morning."

"That's good to hear...still doesn't mean we're going to practice today though." Kurt smiled as he watched Blaine moan. "Nick already offered to make the guys do an encore later, so relax. I know you can handle one meeting without me."

"Doesn't mean I can't pout about it though, right?" Kurt just rolled his eyes. "What?"

"You're impossible. Just think of us as being there in spirit if that helps." Blaine stared at Kurt for a second before a grin spread across his face. "Blaine?"

"I have a better idea."

* * *

Blaine walked into rehearsal to the sounds of disappointment. Most of the guys had been aware that Kurt was taking care of a sick Zoe, but were still holding onto the hope that they would be making an appearance. David and Thad walked up to Blaine.

"Hey Blaine - how's Kurt holding up? How's Zoe?"

"Kurt's doing alright for the most part. Zoe is feeling better, but still not 100%. We're hoping that she'll be less clingy tomorrow, so be ready to babysit. I know that Nick has already promised to blackmail the others into doing it again later, but I have a way for Kurt to be here without _physically_ being here."

"Okay, and how are we doing that?" asked David.

Blaine pulled his laptop out of his messenger bag, "With this. We can Skype. That way Kurt can watch it at the same time we're doing it."

"That's actually an awesome idea," said Thad, "Zoe watching too?"

"If she's awake by the time we start. She was dozing again when I left, so we'll see."

Nick walked towards the trio, "Hey guys, I think we're all set. I take it Kurt is definitely not coming?"

Blaine shook his head, "No. He feels bad, but we came up with a solution. We can totally do an encore later if you want, but this way, we have an outsider view of how we're doing."

"That's fine. I didn't even think of using Skype. Now since this is the first 'official' meeting, do we want to do introductions first?"

"As soon as I get connected I'll ask Kurt. He'll probably want to do a quick introduction first. I know he's met with the freshmen already, but he hasn't met the upperclassmen. He had to miss their auditions, remember?" Blaine focused on logging on while David answered his question for him.

"About that - I have a feeling we may end up with a slight diva-off at some point. No offense to Kurt, but this Sebastian knows how to work a crowd and sings very well. His only problem is that he is a flirt, and a mysterious one at that."

Blaine looked up at him, "And that's a bad thing? You and Wes would flirt all the time, even in front of your girlfriends. Nick and Jeff flirt with Kurt all the time."

Thad scratched his head, "Yeah, um, Sebastian is one of those 'mean flirts'. If he wants you, he'll make sure you know it. If he thinks you're not worthy of him, he plays with you and insults you. Have you not noticed the way he looks at you? I just wanted to give you a heads up: I don't think he knows you're taken."

_"You don't think who knows Blaine's taken?"_ Kurt had finally connected and was frowning at Thad.

"Hey Kurt. Glad you could join us."

_"Thad."_

"Have you met the new kid, Sebastian?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. _"We haven't been properly introduced yet. Is he the one you're talking about? Jeff told me that he also doesn't know about Zoe yet, apparently, so this will be interesting. Can you set me up on the projector so I can see everyone? Then you guys can show off."_

Blaine positioned the laptop on the desk, allowing David to bring the screen down, while Thad ran over to Nick to make sure the group was ready to start. Kurt saw Blaine getting flustered and was getting concerned.

_"Honey, what's wrong?"_

"I don't know. Thad basically said Sebastian is a player, and you know how well I notice others' attention of me." Blaine smirked as Kurt rolled his eyes. "Besides, there's something about him that's familiar...and he just keeps staring at me, like I'm supposed to know who he is."

Kurt heard the unease in Blaine's voice. _"Look, if he tries to put the moves on you, tell him to back off. If that doesn't work, I'll be more than happy to take care of him, alright? Just relax. I'll keep an eye on him when you're singing and jumping on furniture. If he's doing anything 'undapperly' I'll call him out on it. I am the head diva of the Warblers, and _I do not_ share that title with anyone."_

Kurt hadn't been telling the whole truth about Sebastian. It's true they hadn't properly met yet; Kurt had seen him around campus and had noticed the way he acted around Dalton. He'd caught Sebastian staring at his boyfriend a few times, but the way he looked differed from the way the others thought. What most saw as predatory glances, Kurt saw as looks of uncertainty – why? He wasn't sure.

Blaine smiled and relaxed, "Whatever you say, babe." He turned around and got the thumbs up from Nick and David. "Ready?"

Kurt nodded and waited for Blaine to move him to the screen. He kept a semi-awake Zoe out of view of the Warblers, but she could see them. A minute later, the Warblers were treated to the sight of Kurt. He received several greetings, though Kurt did notice the way Sebastian was watching him and Blaine.

_"Greetings to all of you, and welcome to the first, full official meeting of the school year. I'm sorry I'm not down there with you, but someone wasn't feeling well today. Now, I know you've all been working on something for the last week or so, and we can't wait to see it._

_"Before we get started, some quick introduction, in case anyone has forgotten already. The threesome in front of you, and myself, make up the council: Thad, David, Blaine, and me, Kurt. To the new additions: welcome to the Warblers. To the rest: welcome back. I do apologize to the upperclassmen that auditioned without me present. Unfortunately I had to report for tutoring duty, and no one gets Madame Moreau mad if they know what's good for them. Blaine?"_

Blaine smiled at Kurt before focusing on the group in front of him. "Alright, I think we're good to go. We handled a lot of the intro stuff during the orientation last week, but if anyone has any questions, feel free to come to the four of us. Now, I think it's time to get our groove on, don't you think? Nick - whenever you're ready."

The Warblers were quick to get into position. Zoe was definitely awake by this point, seemingly trying to figure out what the boys were doing. Kurt sat back a little to enjoy the show, still a little sad that he wasn't in the room dancing with them, but content to watch how it looked as a full performance.

Nick first suggested doing _Uptown Girls_ by Billy Joel, back on the first day of school, when it was just the current Warblers from the previous year. Beatz and Trent helped him with the arrangement while the rest did some recruiting, and the council handled auditions. While the four of them took care of the new members, Nick started to show the vets what he'd come up with in regards to choreography. They kept themselves separate from the newbies, and they were introduced to Warbler life at a slower pace. This would be the first time everyone was performing together.

Kurt was looking forward to having a bigger group this year. They were already down three members: Wes had graduated; Tim had moved out of state; and Drew was in England as part of a student exchange program. Considering that, not one, but _eight_ of them were graduating this year, Kurt didn't want to leave them with a small group to start next year off. They had managed to find several freshmen and sophomores, and a couple of juniors - one of which was Sebastian. This would be the first time the whole group would be doing the number together.

Kurt watched as Nick started off with their typical Warbler moves with Jeff and David, noticing that Blaine was standing off to the side to watch how things were progressing. Kurt knew Blaine would be dancing with them before the song was over, but it was a good effort. Trent and Beatz joined in as Thad and the newbies stood by waiting for their turn to join in. Kurt also noticed Sebastian off to the side, forgetting for a moment that he would come in right before the chorus began.

He just didn't expect him to pull Blaine into the group.

Kurt noticed a few looks of surprise, but Blaine was oblivious as he joined in the choreography. Kurt kept his eyes on the group, noting who was doing well and how they could tweak things later. As the song progressed, some of the guys decided to throw in some moves of their own, whether they were cool flips or corny dance moves. Overall it sounded amazing, and Nick seriously killed it as the lead.

Kurt looked down at Zoe to see if she was asleep again, but was surprised to see her watching and trying to wiggle a little bit. "You liking that, baby? See Daddy and your many uncles dancing? Just you wait - as soon as you master crawling, we'll work on your dance moves too. Don't you worry."

Kurt waited for them to calm down a little, and for one of them to acknowledge them on the screen. Blaine of course made his way over, which helped get the others to quiet down. "Well, Kurt: what did you think?"

_"That was incredible guys! Zoe and I approve. I must say, the newbies took to this much better than I had anticipated. You all sounded great, and some of the freestyle moves were pretty damn good, except for Jon's - no offense."_

"Aw, come on - the robot arm dangling thing is a classic." Beatz's defense just made the guys break out into laughter again. When they regained control of themselves, Sebastian moved forward to ask a question.

"Wait, who's Zoe? Last I checked, we didn't have any girls here."

_"My apologies. I forgot that some of you still haven't met." _Kurt fixed the angle of the webcam and brought Zoe into the frame._ "Zoe is my daughter and our unofficial mascot, though, she doesn't appear to mind. Unless she's really fussy, she'll be present at rehearsals - and for those of you that take French, she's comes to most of the tutoring sessions, as well - so you can get better acquainted later."_

Sebastian actually appeared speechless for a moment, before his smirk came back. "Really? Who's her father then? Seems odd to me to have a baby living in a school. Isn't that what daycare is for?" Several of them were shocked into silence, though Jeff spoke up before Blaine had a chance to.

"What is your problem? And what difference does it make that she's here? For your information, her daycare _is_ here - she is the first and only baby enrolled into Warbler Daycare. Several of us take care of her during the day, but I suppose you've been spending too much time stalking Blaine with your eyes to notice." Nick wrapped his arms around Jeff to try and calm him down.

Kurt had been watching Sebastian. He may well be acting like a complete ass, but his eyes and the way he was holding himself gave him away. The others weren't as observant as Kurt, and what Kurt was seeing was an insecure boy who was doing a great job at pushing the others away. Even the way he stared at Blaine was different: it was a look of longing, not lust.

In response to Sebastian's remark, Kurt just raised an eyebrow at him. _"That is none of your business. Maybe if you change your attitude, I'll tell you. All you need to know is that she is mine and Blaine's. I believe Jeff answered your other question."_ Zoe started fussing, no doubt picking up Kurt's agitation.

Blaine looked at Sebastian for a second before focusing on Kurt. "How's she feeling, Kurt? Do you need me to grab more medicine for her when I come back up?"

_"I think she's finally hungry, so I'm going to have to cut out for now. Blaine, can you take me off the projector please? I need to ask you something before I sign off. Great job guys. I'll talk to you later, and yes, Zoe will see you tomorrow."_

The Warblers waved goodbye as Kurt was taken off the big screen. The boys began to gather their bags and make their way out, most ignoring Sebastian on the way out. Blaine waited for them to back up before talking to Kurt.

"What do you need, babe?"

_"This is gonna sound weird, but can you treat Sebastian to a coffee break? You don't even have to leave campus. I think you two need to talk."_

"Yeah, that is a weird request. But why? He managed to insult you and Zoe, and I'm leery of talking to him without backup."

_"If you feel uncomfortable, I can send Nick or Trent to spy - I'm afraid Jeff will try to jump him or strangle him with his tie. There's something about him that screams insecurity, and he's not staring at you the way you think he is. It's an act."_

"Are you sure?"

_"Positive. It's gonna bother you the longer you put this off, and I think the both of you have questions that can only be answered by the other. Go get coffee, and bring me back some."_ Then Kurt had a thought. _"You know what? Invite him up to our room. I'll act as mediator, and no one else has to be involved. That better?"_

Blaine let out a breath, "Yeah, if that's okay...I'd feel better with you there. I'll see if he's willing to talk. Either way, I'll be up shortly."

_"Alright. I love you."_

"Love you too." Blaine disconnected and shut his laptop down. He turned around to find only a few Warblers left in the room, Sebastian included. He packed up the computer and walked up to Sebastian.

"Hey Sebastian, I think we need to have a chat. Do you have time for a cup of coffee?"

Sebastian stared at him for a moment before agreeing. Jeff was about to start arguing, but Nick still had a hold of him, and he backed down when Blaine shook his head. Jeff sighed in defeat before allowing Nick to drag him from the room. Blaine motioned to Sebastian, and the two were the last ones to leave.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Sebastian had gotten his coffee and followed Blaine to the dorms, suddenly not so sure about this 'chat'. Blaine knocked on the door and poked his head in, before opening it for the two of them to enter. Kurt was once again sitting up in the bed feeding Zoe, who was certainly more alert, and hungrier, than she had been all day. Sebastian was confused.

"I thought you said we needed to have a chat."

Blaine gave Kurt his coffee and put his stuff down before he sat on the bed next to Kurt. "We do. Kurt is the one that suggested this in the first place. He's picked up on your act and wants to get this resolved as quickly as I do."

"And what act would that be?"

Kurt took a sip of his coffee and watched as Sebastian finally took a seat. He put down his coffee and Zoe's bottle and proceeded to burp her. She started to squirm a little, so Kurt passed her off to Blaine who gladly took a hold of her.

"You, Sebastian, have issues. I know what it's like to put on a façade, so if you think you're gonna pull one by me, think again. I'm not going to demand you tell me your life story, or why you're acting the way you are. You are, however, going to tell us why you keep eyeing Blaine like he should know who you are and what you want."

"And if I don't?" asked Sebastian.

"Then we'll report you for harassment. Whether you realize it or not, you're giving unwanted attention to a fellow student, and with the personality you're exhibiting right now, other students will back us up. I don't want to do that but if we have to, we will. Now's the time to talk. It's your call."

It was Sebastian's turn to be stared down. He glanced at Blaine and saw a similar expression on his face - he agreed with Kurt. He wasn't planning on saying anything, but there was something in their eyes that told Sebastian that they were only trying to help. He didn't have to be an ass about it. He really had two choices:

Ignore the threat, walk out, and risk alienation and possible expulsion; or talk to two willing listeners.

Sebastian looked from Blaine to Kurt to Blaine again before he spoke in a quiet voice, "You really don't remember me...do you?"

Kurt's features softened at the broken tone Sebastian used. Blaine looked at Sebastian with sad eyes. "Am I supposed to? You remind me of a guy I knew a while ago…but you can't be him."

"I don't know why I thought you would. Honestly, it's bad enough I changed my name, but I changed my appearance a little as well. Let me start over. My name hasn't always been Sebastian Smythe. My name up until a few years ago was Cameron Connors."

It was a good thing that Zoe had been relocated to Kurt's arms before Sebastian had started talking. Blaine's face lost all color and he looked ready to pass out. Sebastian looked like he was ready to run out of the room.

"No. You can't be Cameron. My parents told me he wasn't going to live. I never got to say goodbye to him before my parents took me out of the hospital." Kurt was very confused, and concerned, for both of the boys in front of him. Clearly, they had been involved in something very serious and traumatic a long time ago.

"I was hurt badly, yes, but I was never going to die. My parents moved me out of the hospital and into a short-term rehab facility out-of-state. Sebastian is my middle name, and Smythe is my stepfather's last name. My mother thought that it would be better if I could get a fresh start somewhere else, so we changed it."

"But you were shorter than me."

"Growth spurt."

"You had dark-blonde hair."

"Dyed it darker."

"Your eyes?"

"Colored contacts."

"Explains the missing glasses, then."

Kurt just looked back and forth as the two volleyed questions and answers back and forth. Finally, he'd had enough and asked a question of his own.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but can someone explain this to me? How do you two know each other?"

Blaine turned to Kurt, "Remember when I told you my reason for coming to Dalton? How my friend and I got beat up at the school dance my freshman year? The kid I went with was named Cameron Connors. I never knew what happened to him."

Blaine looked back to Sebastian, "Where have you been? Why did you have to go through rehab? I tried to contact your parents, but my parents found out and I had to stop trying."

"My knee got messed up real bad. It took two surgeries, and a few months of rehab and crutches, before I was able to walk on it again. We moved to Pennsylvania for a while, and once I was mobile, we relocated to Paris for 18 months. If it wasn't for the online courses I did, I would've been considered a sophomore. I lost a semester's worth of work because of moving and rehab.

"I tried to call you a few times, but after your father cursed me out the fourth time, I stopped calling. He blamed me for what happened; he said it was my fault we got bashed, since I was the one that suggested we go to the dance together."

Blaine was speechless, "I never knew that you called. After I got home from the hospital, my parents did whatever they could to keep me out of their lives. They pretended I didn't exist."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Kurt directed another question to Sebastian. "How did you end up at Dalton? Did you know Blaine was here? And how well did you two know each other?"

"I had a hunch. I knew that with Cooper playing 'big brother' that there was no way Blaine would stay in public school, but I also knew that his parents weren't willing to relocate somewhere else. Blaine and I met when we were in elementary school…sat with each other on the bus…had some of the same teachers…our parents were friends…at least until we came out."

Blaine spoke up when Sebastian stopped and continued to explain to Kurt, "You know my parents didn't take to well to that, but Sebastian's were okay with it, though his dad had a harder time with it at first. We stayed friends, even though my parents told us to stay away from each other. My father was convinced that it was Sebastian's fault that I was gay."

"My parents told me later on that Blaine suffered a severe concussion, and that there was a chance that he might not remember everything that happened that night – or me for that matter – though I think it was more to prevent me from expecting too much when we moved back to the states."

Blaine added, "Cooper's the one that found Dalton for me, and since they had on-campus boarding, it was a win-win for everyone. My parents weren't inconvenienced; I was in a safe place; and Cooper wouldn't worry so much. Since you left town and I had a head injury, they never figured out who did it."

Sebastian scoffed, "We had a decent idea who was behind it, but with no proof, nothing could be done. I did research once I knew we were coming back to Westerville, and after a Google search for private schools, I found out about Dalton. And then after searching on YouTube, I found out about the Warblers. Once I started here, though, I didn't know how to approach Blaine, and I wasn't really willing to get along with people; thus, the flirty, bad boy act." He blushed as he thought about how he'd been acting.

"I do need to apologize for that. I had no idea you two were boyfriends, and I'd heard rumors of a baby on campus, but I thought it was a joke. I'm sorry for acting like a complete jerk about that. I had no right asking personal questions like that in a room full of people."

Kurt smiled, "Apology accepted. I am curious as to how you didn't know about us or Zoe. Just about everyone met her during move-in week and the first week of classes."

"I started the semester two weeks late," said Sebastian. "There was a problem with my transfer papers, not only from Paris, but with my old public school record as well. I couldn't attend classes until that mess was cleaned up. Warbler auditions happened three days after I officially started -"

"Which I then missed because of the French tutoring info session."

"-and since I'm a junior, I don't have classes with either of you. I was grouped with the newbies to practice _Uptown Girls _so I didn't see you there over the last couple weeks. And though it hasn't happened in a while, I still suffer from panic attacks if I'm in a room with too many people. Most days, I grab breakfast before it gets too crazy, eat lunch during my study hall, and wait until the end of dinner to get food. So the chances of me meeting the only Dalton girl were pretty slim."

"Well then, this is your chance. Come here and sit on the bed." Sebastian thought Kurt was kidding, until Blaine got up and dragged him over. Kurt shifted Zoe before placing her in his arms.

"Zoe, this is Sebastian. Sebastian, meet our daughter Zoe." Sebastian didn't know what to think. He'd never held a baby before, but he figured as long as she wasn't crying, he was in good shape - especially when she smiled at him. He panicked for a second when she started to whine, but he adjusted his hold on her and she calmed down again. "She's adorable. Do you want her back?"

"You're doing pretty well with her. I've held her enough for one day. She was very clingy this morning."

"Yeah, how come you had to skip today? Was she sick? And what exactly is Warbler Daycare?"

"The senior Warblers, Blaine and I take care of Zoe during our study halls or free periods. She comes to tutoring with me, and hangs out with us at rehearsals. She woke me up the first time around three this morning. We went to see Nurse Cara around five, and I skipped classes today to take care of her. She had the sniffles and a low-grade fever. Thankfully, it was the first time I had to do skip a full day of classes. She's in a much better mood now."

"How old is she?"

"Just about two months."

"That's all? She seems a little big for two months." Sebastian stopped once he realized what he just said. "Not that that's a bad thing!"

Blaine just laughed at him. "Calm down Sebastian - you're not the first one to say that. She was a little overdue and was a little on the bigger side when she was born."

Kurt glared, "You have no room to talk, Anderson. I was the one that had to push out a 9 pound, 11 ounce baby at 41 weeks. 'A little on the bigger side', my ass."

"Hey! No cursing in front of the baby." Kurt just threw a pillow at Blaine. Sebastian laughed, but kept his eyes on Zoe. He was trying to see how much of her was Kurt and how much was Blaine.

"Minus the hair color, she is definitely a mini-you, Kurt. But with Shorty over here, how'd she get as big as she is? You're both lean, and there's only a couple of inches difference in height." When his question was met with silence, he looked up at the couple. "Did I say something wrong again?"

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other before Blaine gave Kurt a slight nod. "I'm going to grab us some dinner. You two can talk while I'm gone, alright?" Blaine jumped off the bed and left the room. Zoe had started to doze again, so Kurt moved her to the bassinet.

"Look, if I said something wrong, please tell me. I didn't mean to make him leave or make you upset."

"It's not you, Sebastian. Let me explain. Zoe is considered mine and Blaine's, but he's not her biological father." Kurt briefly explained what had happened at McKinley and how Zoe came to be. He didn't go into detail, but told enough of the story. Sebastian was still in shock when Blaine came back with dinner for the three of them, hearing Kurt finish up with, "- so that's pretty much it."

Sebastian didn't know how to respond to any of that. "Wow. So you were pregnant for your junior year, and you're raising your daughter at an all-boys school during your senior year? And you're both still top students and on the Warblers' council? That's amazing."

"You're taking this really well. Most people have a hard time getting past the whole 'male pregnancy' part of the story."

"I kinda envy you to a point- I can't get pregnant myself - but I do have one question for you."

"What's that?" asked Kurt.

"Can I babysit the next time you need a sitter?"

"Do you know how to change a diaper?" asked Blaine.

"I can learn."

"Anyone willing to learn is a plus. You're hired," said Kurt, with a smile. "For now, let's eat. And you can tell me more about the 'Adventures of Young Blaine and Sebastian', and I'll tell you what you've missed."

* * *

To say the Warblers were surprised to see Sebastian, Kurt, Blaine, and Zoe sitting together at breakfast the next day was an understatement. They were shocked alone by the sight of Sebastian in the cafeteria, and were further confused to see him holding Zoe on top of that. Before Jeff could start yelling, Kurt told them that Sebastian was cool with them, and any lingering issues had been resolved.

Jeff reluctantly settled down, but did that two-finger point from his eyes to Sebastian's that said 'I'm watching you'. Kurt was actually impressed with Jeff's amount of restraint, but he did notice the way Nick was keeping his hands on him, which seemed to keep the blonde from jumping Sebastian. When Thad asked about the sudden change in attitude, Sebastian glanced at Zoe before answering:

"I needed a swift kick in the ass, to put it bluntly. That, and someone to talk to - **really** talk to. And the best part of all: I got my best friend back."

Trent saw how happy and content Sebastian looked, and couldn't believe his eyes. To think that just the day before, this person was the dangerous flirt they were warning others about, and now he's calmly sitting there and holding Zoe like he was born to do it.

Nick was glad that everything worked out for the best, but he knew that he wasn't the only one wondering what the hell happened the night before. Sebastian was a stalker yesterday, and all of a sudden after a long talk, he's not? He had a hard time keeping his boyfriend occupied last night until Sebastian left Kurt and Blaine's room.

David and Beatz did a quick round of 'rock, paper, scissors' to see which was going to ask the question on everyone's minds. David won, which didn't really bother Beatz that much.

"Since all of us are thinking it, I'm just gonna ask: what happened last night?"

"Whatever do you mean Jon?" Kurt said.

"Oh don't give me that. Sebastian was a jerk yesterday to all of you, and today everyone is best friends? We're just curious."

"Haven't you heard the saying 'curiosity killed the cat'?" asked Blaine.

"Well, I'm a bird, so that doesn't mean squat," Beatz smirked, as the others snorted. "But seriously, what gives?"

"Sparknotes version: I used to be known as someone Blaine knew a long time ago; both of us were involved in a traumatic event; Blaine's parents suck; my parents were overcautious; and everything's been cleared up, so we're good now. You don't have to worry about me being an ass, nor do you need to worry about me breaking up these two," pointing at Kurt and Blaine. "I think Jeff would kill me first."

"You got that right, and just so you're aware - I watch a lot of procedural dramas, so I know the right way to hide a body."

Sebastian looked a little worried, "Um, he's just messing with me, right?" he asked Nick.

"Not quite. He's seen a lot of the Law and Order's and CSI's, so I'd be careful." Sebastian saw the honesty on Nick's face, so he turned back to an evil-smirked Jeff.

"Please believe me when I say that any home wrecker tendencies I may have been harboring are now non-existent. I will not destroy Klaine or any other relationship I come across."

"Just remember: I'm watching you. Now, stop hogging the baby - it's my turn."


	18. Saturday Night Antics

**Hello readers! Welcome to yet another installment. I don't have much to say about this chapter (I know – shocker!) So I won't hold you up for long. Fair warning for anyone that's a fan – or not – of Rory: he's in this chapter. I liked Rory, but we really didn't get to know him all that much on the show. However, I had hoped that something would've been developed between Rory and Kurt after the dodge ball game, but alas, no. **That's a mini-spoiler to what I have in mind for the next chapter****

**Thanks for all the love – it makes me smile :-) Don't be afraid to review after you're through. Even a smiley face would make my day.**

**This takes place after 'Blast from the Past'. Enjoy!**

_**Saturday Night Antics**_

* * *

The semester continued on. Zoe had gotten bigger, the couples were still going strong, and the Warblers were sounding better than ever. After his talk with Kurt and Blaine, Sebastian started to come out of his shell more and started to hang out with the Warblers. He even started coming to meals during busy times, and though it was slow-going, he was making progress and hadn't had any panic attacks. Strangely enough, Sebastian was bravest when he was with Zoe.

Actually, most of the guys were different when they were with Zoe.

Kurt first noticed it back when school started. Zoe became a miracle cure for the Warblers. Whenever someone needed to calm down, de-stress or relax, holding her was the equivalent to taking a nap, meditating or taking an aspirin. For obvious reasons, the only time Zoe was not allowed to be used as a treatment, so to speak, was when someone was sick; though Zoe was able to make anyone feel a little better just by smiling.

In any case, Dalton had transitioned well to having a baby girl living on campus. The teachers enjoyed her presence, and there were plenty of non-Warblers that loved her from afar. Kurt felt very lucky to be in a place where he didn't have to worry about walking around - on his own or with Zoe.

Besides Kurt and Daddy Blaine - which is what everyone referred to him as - Jeff, Nick, and surprisingly Sebastian, had become Zoe's favorite people to hang with. The rest of the Warblers came next, and while Kurt would never try to rank them, that didn't stop them from mock-fighting to see who Zoe loved more. That usually resulted in Kurt rolling his eyes and leaving them to argue amongst themselves.

Before anyone realized it, the semester was half over.

* * *

"Brittany, sweetie, I'm a little confused here."

_"I know you know a lot about food - you cook the best stuff! I just need to know what to feed a leprechaun. Mine hasn't been eating the last couple of days and I'm worried about him disappearing."_

It was a typical Saturday morning in Lima. Kurt, Blaine and Zoe had come home the previous night in order to spend the weekend. Blaine was in the middle of feeding Zoe, while Burt, Carole and Finn were eating breakfast. Kurt had woken up in a good mood and had made food for everyone. Brittany had called him to say hi and ask him an important question, which confused the countertenor to no end.

"Honey, can I call you back? Let me check my cookbook, and I'll let you know, okay?"

_"Thanks Kurtie! I have to look for Lord Tubbington anyway. I hid his cigarettes and he's probably looking for them."_

Kurt said goodbye and hung up with her. Blaine looked at his look of confusion and asked what the call was about.

"Well apparently, Lord Tubbington is smoking again," to which Burt and Carole just shook their heads at, "but the main reason she called is because she wants to know what to feed a leprechaun."

"Wait, what?" asked Finn, suddenly more awake than a minute ago.

"Yeah. She said that her leprechaun hasn't been eating well the last few days and she's worried about him. Do you know what she's talking about? Am I missing something?"

"She's probably talking about Rory," said Finn.

"Who's he?" asked Kurt.

"He's an exchange student from Ireland; he's staying with Brittany's family. He's pretty cool. Mike, Sam and I take turns watching him in the hallways. Rory is a new addition to the group."

Kurt sighed, "Well that makes sense now. He's probably just homesick."

Blaine asked, "Did he join New Directions already? How's the group doing?"

Blaine wasn't sure if Finn was actually going to say anything because of Rachel. He'd made that mistake a few weeks ago when they'd met up at the mall. Blaine had just innocently asked how school was going for everyone, and Rachel assumed that Blaine was fishing for details about Glee club and had pitched a fit.

Finn rolled his eyes and answered, "You know us - drama central. We've started to recruit some of the band kids to fill in since we've lost Santana, Brittany, and Mercedes to Sugar's group, and Lauren left the group. I'm just glad Rory decided to audition. If Kurt was still with us, it would be awesome to hear both of them together."

Kurt looked up from the cookbook he was looking through, "Huh? Why's that?"

"He's a bass-baritone - does that sound right? - but he can sing high like you too. It was pretty cool."

Kurt hummed in agreement, but looked intrigued. Blaine hid a smirk, knowing that if Kurt was interested in meeting the new kid before, he _really_ wanted to meet him now. Kurt's next statement proved it.

"You know, Finn, we should invite Rory over for dinner one night. If Brittany's noticed something wrong, maybe a home-cooked meal he's used to, will make him feel better."

"That sounds awesome. We can ask him later - the guys are coming over to play video games."

"Oh that's right; I forgot," said Kurt, "I'm sure you won't mind introducing us then, before you get sucked into your game?"

"No problem. Blaine, you wanna join in? Kurt usually stays away unless I get stuck and he's sick of hearing me whine_...then_ he steals the controller and gets me to the next level without telling me how he did it._"_

Blaine smirked as he heard Kurt chuckle evilly to himself, "I may just take you up on that offer, Finn. What are you playing?"

"No idea. We figured we'd decide once everyone got here." Finn got up from the table and put his dish in the sink. "I'm gonna pick up Rory now and grab some snacks for later. Need anything while I'm out?"

Kurt thought for a second, and then shook his head. "I have to get a couple things, but they can wait till later."

"You sure? We're gonna stop at the supermarket." Kurt bit his lip. "Is it for Zoe?"

"Yeah…"

"Diapers? Formula? What?"

"Both...you sure you don't mind? I don't want a repeat of the first time you offered." Kurt wasn't worried about Finn buying the wrong items; Finn knew which size and brands to buy, but he didn't want him to have any problems at the store. Kurt was hesitant, but for a good reason.

The first time Finn went shopping with Kurt, the cashier had several nasty comments – mostly about stupid teenagers getting pregnant - and Finn almost took the guy out. As luck would have it, the store manager - who happened to be one of their neighbors - stepped in before it got physical. Not only was the cashier fired - that hadn't been the first time he'd gotten into it with customers - but they were given valuable store coupons. Ever since then, Kurt did his best to do the shopping himself, though that wasn't always a feasible option.

Finn rolled his eyes at Kurt. He knew his brother meant well, but that only happened once - Finn had gone with him, and alone, on a few baby runs after that without hassle. "It's really not a problem. We still have coupons, right?"

Kurt smiled and got up from the table, "Yeah. I'll go grab them." Kurt ran upstairs to grab the coupons and some cash to give to Finn, while the tall teen turned to Blaine, who'd been watching without comment.

"Is he always gonna be like that? I feel bad if I don't offer and I really don't mind buying baby-related stuff. It doesn't bother me, and I don't care what people say."

Blaine sighed, "I don't think so, but remember what he was like when that incident happened? He was still in that new parent, semi-depressed, worried-about-everything mindset, and that cashier did nothing to help. Kurt knows that you don't mind, but people talk, and it still bothers him that he was the cause of the problem."

It was Finn's turn to sigh, but in exasperation. "Yeah, well, it wasn't his fault he was off his game. That was the only week Zoe wouldn't sleep and Kurt spent most of that time sick himself."

"We know you can take care of yourself, Finn, but you know Kurt: He's a parent, which means he worries. Don't overthink it." Blaine left it at that, just as Kurt returned with the promised coupons.

"Here, Finn, coupons and cash - don't argue. Thanks, by the way."

"Like I said, it's no problem. I'll be back later with Rory. See you in a bit." Finn walked out of the house, leaving Kurt, Blaine and Zoe in the kitchen, Burt and Carole having left already. Blaine passed Zoe off to Kurt so he could clean up from breakfast.

"So this Rory sounds like fun."

"I'm wondering about the leprechaun comment that Britt made. Do you think she really believes he's a leprechaun?" asked Kurt.

"Well, Brittany thinks that her cat is a smoker, so anything's possible," said Blaine. "What - you think she thinks that he can grant wishes or something?" He laughed until he saw the look on Kurt's face. "Kurt?"

"I love Brittany, but sometimes I wonder about her thought process. I mean, she calls us dolphins because she says they're gay sharks, and since we're gay, there's a correlation. Yeah, she could be calling him a leprechaun because he's Irish, but I doubt that."

"Well how about this: we just ask Rory later. Until then, don't worry about it."

"If you say so."

* * *

Rory was a little confused as he and Finn walked into the supermarket. Finn mentioned that they were picking up snacks, but he was curious as to why they were in the baby aisle.

"Hey Finn, why are you buying diapers?" Finn answered, slightly distracted.

"I told Kurt that I'd pick up a couple things for him while we were here for Zoe."

Rory was still puzzled. He remembered Finn mention that he had a step-brother named Kurt, but he didn't remember him mentioning a sister. "Um, who's Zoe?"

"Oh, she's my niece." Rory stopped walking and just stared at Finn. Then it clicked.

"Wait a second - Kurt has a kid? Aren't you guys the same age?" Finn bit his lip, as he contemplated how to answer the unasked question:

_Why _does Kurt have a kid?

"Look, I'll explain in the car….just not here." Seriously intrigued by now, Rory relented and just nodded in agreement; he could wait.

Finn gave him a small smile and walked to the end of the aisle to grab formula. Rory followed Finn to the checkout counter, watching the way Finn interacted with the cashier. If he was honest with himself, Rory was expecting her to make a comment about the baby items, but Finn just handed her some coupons and money, and before he knew it, they were in the car on the way to Finn's house.

Rory waited, albeit a little impatiently, for Finn to start talking. He could tell by Finn's reaction in the supermarket that Zoe was a sensitive topic, but that just made him more confused. Finn, and the New Directions as a whole, had mentioned Kurt a couple of times since he joined the group, but they'd never mentioned a baby.

Finn knew he'd said that he'd explain, but he didn't know what to say. It always felt strange for him to explain anything in regards to what happened to Kurt; it wasn't his story to tell. But he also didn't want Kurt to be questioned at the door, nor did he want Rory to go in with the wrong idea. Finn took a deep breath and just started talking.

"I don't want you to think that we're keeping a secret from you, dude, but the whole story isn't mine to tell. I'm not gonna go into detail, but you should have some idea about what's going on. Can you deal with that?"

Rory was quiet for a minute, but then nodded. "I understand that, and I wouldn't want you to get into any trouble with Kurt. You don't have to tell me anything, though a hint or two would help. I don't want to offend anyone on accident."

Finn sent Rory a smile as he drove. "I'll give you the short version; if Kurt feels up to telling you more, then he can. You know how you've had a couple of run-ins with the jocks? Well, there was one in particular last year that was always after Kurt. One day things hit a breaking point, he hurt Kurt badly, and Zoe was the result. I hope I don't have to explain what that means."

Rory sat in shock. _No, _he thought, _you don't have to explain what that means._ "Oh, god. He did **that** to Kurt? What happened to him?"

"Me and some of the guys found them before anything more could happen. He was arrested and sent to prison; Kurt was in the hospital for a couple of days, and then home for a little bit after that. Once he was cleared to go back to school, he was enrolled at Dalton - that's where he met Blaine, his boyfriend. We found out he was pregnant before Christmas, and Zoe was born in July."

"Wow. But wait - Kurt's in school, you're in school, your parents work...where does Zoe go during the day?"

"Oh, she boards with Kurt and Blaine at Dalton during the week. The two of them and the Warblers - their glee club - take turns watching her throughout the day. It's been working well so far. Kurt did miss one day of classes cause Zoe was sick, but other than that, it's been going well. I think there are some pics on my phone..."

When they came up to a red light, Finn handed his phone over to Rory, having pulled up a picture. "You can look through them; there's a bunch on there. It'll give you an idea on what everyone looks like, but they don't do them justice."

The first picture Rory saw was Kurt, Blaine and Zoe, right after she was born. Rory could see the exhaustion on Kurt's face, but also saw how happy he looked.

"Wow - did you get to see them right after she was born or something? I thought family had to wait a while."

Finn laughed, "That's part of the epic tale of 'Zoe's birth' - Puck and I helped during the delivery. You should hear it from Kurt's point of view; he's an awesome story teller."

"I'll ask him for it later." Rory skimmed through the pictures and smiled sadly as he went. Just looking at the pictures was making him feel even more homesick that he thought he was. He was the oldest of four - he had two brothers and a sister - and seeing baby pictures reminded him of when Shamus was that little. Granted, he was now a very rambunctious six year old, but he'd helped his mom a lot with him as a baby.

"You okay dude?" Finn asked. He'd been watching Rory in between driving and noticed how quiet it had gotten. Rory shook his head and gave Finn a small smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine...just missing home, I guess. Zoe looks adorable." Finn could tell that Rory was upset, but let it go for the moment, as they pulled into the driveway. Finn turned the car off and looked at Rory.

"It's okay to be a little homesick. I got homesick when we went to New York for a few days. You're away from your family for a lot longer than that. No one's gonna make fun of you for that." Finn jumped out of the truck first and grabbed most of the stuff from the back. "Think you can handle the rest?" Rory nodded and grabbed what was left, following Finn into the house.

* * *

While Finn was gone, Blaine took it upon himself to get the living room situated for an afternoon of gaming. Burt and Carole had mentioned that they were having a date night and would be back late, so the boys had the house to themselves in the meantime. He pushed the furniture around so that everyone would have a view of the TV, and it also made it easier if they decided to play Rock Band later.

Kurt had already opted out of playing, but had agreed to be pulled in if they got stuck. Finn had a point when he said that Kurt was good at getting out of tough spots. When he was on bed rest and the boredom had gotten bad, Kurt had resorted to playing some of Finn's games, and had become quite proficient at them.

Blaine didn't know if Rory was going to be playing as well, but figured that they'd wait and see. While Kurt had shown an interest to meet the new kid, Finn seemed hopeful that it would be more than that. Finn had mentioned Rory to Blaine a few days ago, and while the jocks were nowhere near as horrible as the previous year, shoving students or knocking their books out of their hands was still going on, which was better than also dealing with dumpster dives, locker-body checks, and slushies.

Finn seemed to be hoping for Rory to become friends with Kurt, and Blaine, so that he'd know other people outside of the McKinley setting; but they were jumping ahead too much.

Everyone still needed to be formally introduced to each other first, and then they could talk.

Blaine was shaken out of his musings when he heard the doorbell ring. Knowing that Kurt was busy upstairs with Zoe, Blaine went to answer the door. He saw Finn's truck from the window and figured he needed help carrying stuff in. Sure enough, Finn had his hands full, so Blaine grabbed some of the bags and started walking towards the kitchen. It was after he'd put them down, that he noticed Rory.

"Hi, you must be Rory. I'm Blaine." Blaine sent the other boy a smile, hoping to make him a little more comfortable. He seemed shy.

"Hi, yeah, that's me. It's nice to meet you." Rory smiled back, some of the tension dissolving as he realized that Blaine wouldn't be much of a threat.

"Kurt should be down soon - he was giving Zoe a quick bath. I set up the living room, and your parents have already left, so we have the house to ourselves. Do you know when the rest of the guys are coming?"

Finn was checking his phone while Blaine was talking. "Mike's picking up Artie, and Puck will be here in ten. Sam's finishing up his shift, but he said he might have to bail." Sam's family had - thankfully - been able to resolve their financial issues. They were on their way to moving out of state, but right before the school year started, things had turned around, and the family didn't have to move after all.

None of them noticed Kurt come back downstairs with a freshly bathed Zoe. "Why can't Sam come?"

Finn jumped, "Dude! Can you not do that? Stop being a ninja, geez."

Kurt laughed, "One does not forget the ways of the ninja so easily." He turned to their newcomer and introduced himself.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Rory. I'm Kurt, that goofball's brother, and part-time ninja." Zoe wriggled in his arms, causing him to roll his eyes. "And this little heartbreaker is Zoe. Finn's told us a little about you; I hope he's extended the courtesy."

Finn and Blaine noticed how Rory relaxed once Kurt had entered the room. "Yeah, he's told me a bit about you, and Blaine. I just heard about Zoe today, though. She's adorable."

Kurt laughed, "Adorable should be her middle name, with the amount of times we've heard it, but yes, she's a sweetheart." Kurt looked back at Finn and asked, "Going back to my previous question…"

Finn had to think for a second but then remembered. "Oh, Sam's at work now, but their sitter bailed on them and there's no one to watch Stevie and Stacey." Kurt just rolled his eyes.

"Tell him to bring them over. I was planning on doing some baking later, so they can help me in here while the rest of you play your crazy games. Sam needs a break anyway. If this is the same sitter they had before, she's screwed them over several times since school started. If he doesn't believe you, tell him to call me; I don't mind. Actually..."

"What?"

"Tell Puck to bring Sarah with him too. The more, the merrier. I've been promising her some Sarah-Kurt time for a while anyway, and she gets along with everyone." Finn sent a text and not a minute later, Finn's phone ran with an incoming phone call. Kurt just laughed and held his hand out.

"I've got this Finn. Hello Noah, how are you doing today?"

_"Princess - care to explain to me why Finn just sent me a text saying to bring my sister?"_

"Is that a problem? I've been meaning to hang out with her anyway, and I'm making cookies - " There was a slight scuffle on the other end of the phone. Before he knew it, someone else started yelling into the phone.

_"COOKIES! Can I come with you Noah? PRETTY PLEASE!"_

_"Sarah! Give me back my phone! Oh don't you dare give me puppy eyes."_ Kurt barely held back a laugh, as he heard Puck groan in annoyance.

_"Hummel, are you trying to drive me crazy? Cause it's working, dude."_

"Oh, since when do I have to _try_ to drive you crazy? And besides, it's not like you have to worry about her - she's gonna be hanging out with me, Stevie, Stacey, and Zoe in the kitchen. So do me a favor and stop whining, okay Puckzilla?"

_"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'll bring the rugrat with me. I don't need a double whammy of puppy eyes. God, do I regret you two spending time together sometimes."_

"Love you too, Puck. See you in a bit." Kurt hung up and passed the phone back to Finn. "They'll be over soon."

"It is so much fun watching you mess with him, Kurt. He can't say no to you, especially when there's puppy eyes involved."

"And the only person he can blame that on is Sarah. That girl is a genius."

"Can I ask a question?" asked Rory.

The boys turned around, almost forgetting that he was still in the room.

"Sure dude," said Finn.

"They all sound fun. I'm just wondering how old they are."

"Stevie is almost nine and Stacey just turned seven; Sarah's twelve. They've helped me bake before and they're great cookie testers."

Finn frowned, "I'm a great cooker tester."

"Finn, you're a great cookie _eater. _If I left it to you, there wouldn't be many cookies for anyone else." Blaine started to laugh. "And do not get me started on you, Blaine. I don't know where you put it, but you're just as bad as him. Why do you think I made a triple batch of those snickerdoodles a few months ago? That was so the rest of us could enjoy them as well."

Rory snorted, as he watched Finn and Blaine pout quite spectacularly. He couldn't help laughing, especially at the self-satisfied smirk on Kurt's face.

"Would you mind some help then? I always helped Mum when she was in the kitchen, and I keep my cookie dough eating to a minimum." Rory sounded very hopeful.

Kurt looked thoughtful for a second. "You don't want to play with the rest of the guys?"

Rory shook his head, "I'm not that great at video games, but I do enjoy cookies."

Kurt pondered for another minute, before smiling. "Sure, I'd love the help. Thanks Rory." The doorbell went off again, signaling the arrival of most of the group. Finn went to let them in. Zoe started to get a little fussy, causing Kurt to look around the kitchen before sighing in frustration.

"Kurt, what's the matter?" asked Blaine.

"Didn't I bring her pacifier down with me? I thought I did…"

Blaine offered, "Want me to check upstairs? It might've fallen off the nightstand again."

Kurt sighed, "Do you mind? She's due for a nap soon, but you know how much she likes hanging out down here. She'll probably stay up long enough to say hi to everyone first." Blaine took off for their bedroom, leaving Kurt to calm down Zoe. Kurt started singing while Rory watched as her crying became little whimpers.

"You have a nice voice Kurt. I haven't heard that song in a while."

Kurt chuckled, "Are you a Disney buff, Rory?"

Rory blushed, "I'd like to think so, but there are a few I haven't seen all the way through. Which movie was that from? It did sound familiar."

"_Tarzan. _The song's called _You'll be in My Heart._ We're gonna have to have a movie night now, you know that right? No friend of mine that is a Disney fan is allowed to walk around not having seen movies from start to finish." Zoe was just making noises every now and then, but Kurt had noticed her looking around and got an idea.

"Hey Rory, are you good with kids?"

"Well, if helping my parents with my siblings count, then yeah. I helped with Shamus the most - he's the youngest - but I still did a lot with Gemma and Emmett."

"Come over here, then." Rory was curious as to what was happening. Kurt motioned for him to take a seat, and before he knew it, Kurt was handing Zoe to him. Rory's arms automatically fixed his hold on her, realizing that she was now quiet and staring at him. Not sure as to what he should do, he smiled and started talking to her.

"Hey there Zoe. My name's Rory and I'm the new kid. You have very pretty eyes, did you know that?" Blaine walked back into the kitchen to see Kurt smiling at a very content Rory, and an even more placid Zoe. He walked up to his boyfriend and whispered in his ear.

"How'd you get her to stop crying? I thought something was wrong, since she didn't have her pacifier."

Kurt whispered right back, "She kept looking at Rory, and I think he secretly wanted to hold her but was afraid to ask. He's had a lot of practice - he has three younger siblings back home. Did you find it?"

Blaine held up the missing pacifier. "Yep, was on the floor, just as suspected. They look good together," he said, as they watched Rory tickle Zoe. "He seems better since he got here."

"Homesickness and nerves will do that to you. I wonder...can you keep an eye on them for a second? I'll be right back." Kurt ran out and up the stairs, pulling out his phone as he went.

"Where did Kurt go?" Blaine turned back to Rory, who'd noticed Kurt's sudden departure.

"Not sure...he'll be back shortly. You're a natural. Kurt said you have siblings?"

* * *

Kurt had just gotten off of the phone with Brittany's mother. He mentioned how Brittany had been worrying about Rory and from what he could tell, there was an easy fix. Rory was homesick, so the most logical answer would be for him to go home. However, that wasn't exactly an option right now; so what would be the next best thing?

Phone home.

Or in this day and age, Skype.

Kurt asked Mrs. Pierce for a way to contact Rory's family, and was happy to receive an email address. While a phone number would probably be easier, an email is still cheaper than a long-distance call. Not to mention a better way to explain to Rory's family about Skype and how to use it.

Since he'd left Blaine and Rory confused downstairs, Kurt typed out a quick email and sent it with an explanation and a link, so that if they didn't know of/didn't have Skype, the Flanagan's would know how to set it up. He logged off his computer and made his way downstairs, hearing several more voices than earlier.

Now all he had to do was wait for a response.

* * *

Rory noticed right away that Sarah, Stacey, and Stevie had been properly educated on how to approach a sleepy baby. Zoe's eyes had been drooping since Blaine gave her back her missing pacifier, and unlike other curious children Sam's siblings knew not to yell or poke Zoe. They slowly came up and said hi to Zoe and introduced themselves to Rory. Zoe lazily swatted at Stevie as he tried to playfully grab at her pacifier.

Kurt made his way back into the room, and was able to say hi to Sam, Puck, Artie, and Mike, before getting ambushed by Stevie and Stacey, with Sarah waiting her turn. The Evans duo had taken an instant liking to Kurt, as at one point he and Quinn were their only sitters while they lived at the motel. At the time, Kurt was in his third trimester, so between school finishing up, summer starting, and Sam's job, the two of them had spent time at the Hummel-Hudson home and at Dalton, when Sam had to work from a sister store located just outside of Westerville.

When Blaine and Kurt finished at Dalton in June and had moved back to Lima for the summer, Sarah became a godsend. Between Burt and Carole working, Finn helping out at the shop, and Blaine's temporary gig at the theme park – he hadn't been able to get out of it entirely – Sarah had no qualms with keeping Kurt company. This had made everyone feel better since, at the time, Kurt was several weeks away from his due date.

Once Kurt was free of the kids, he went up to Rory to collect Zoe. She enjoyed napping at this time of day, so Kurt decided to take her upstairs and put her down in her crib, which she had finally started to get used to sleeping in. She still used the bassinet at Dalton, but it was nice to not have to pack it up anymore; they had had to the first couple of weekends because Zoe had **not** liked the crib. Of course, she still wasn't in love with it, but if she was swaddled in her favorite blanket, it certainly made things easier.

Kurt got Zoe settled quickly, and after grabbing the baby monitor, made his way downstairs again. The boys still hadn't picked a game to play and were in the middle of a very serious match of rock, paper, scissors, leaving Rory, Sarah, Stevie, and Stacey off to the side. Kurt rolled his eyes, picked one of the games off of the floor, and threw it at Finn.

"Really guys? It's only noon - I'm pretty sure you're going to be at it all day, so just play whatever I threw at you for an hour or so, then change it. You don't have to waste time playing one game. Stevie, Stacey, Sarah - do you wanna help me and Rory in the kitchen? I was planning on baking cookies."

"Yay! Can we make shapes?" asked Stacey.

"I want chocolate chip!" yelled Sarah.

Kurt just smiled. "We're gonna make a few different kinds - some are staying here and some are coming back to school with me."

"Can we make the spikey ones too?" Kurt looked at Stevie confused. "Spikey ones?"

Sam heard him ask and knew which ones he meant, "Maybe another time, Stevie." He turned to Kurt, "Oh, he means those coconut ones. Isn't Jeff allergic to them?"

Kurt was surprised Sam remembered, "Yeah he is, but if we leave the macaroons for last, and we package them separately, we'll be okay. Thanks for remembering." Sam gave him a mock salute as they headed into the kitchen.

Kurt opened a drawer and grabbed several aprons for everyone to wear, and in no time, the first batch of cookies - chocolate chip - was heading into the oven. Kurt had made a big batch of sugar cookie dough the night before, so he just had to set up the kids with a wide array of cookie cutters, knowing that it would keep them busy for some time. Kurt knew it'd be a while until they were done, so he turned to a now hyper Rory to give him the option of what to do next.

"Now that they're occupied, it's your turn to request a cookie. So far we have chocolate chip, sugar, the macaroons will be last, and I want to make a snickerdoodles because they're awesome. Is there a kind you wanna make?"

"That seems like plenty to me. I don't need to pick another one, do I?"

"Well," Kurt started, "you don't _have_ to...but I do have what we need to make ginger snaps or soda bread cookies." Kurt watched as Rory's eyes lit up.

"Oh that's not fair - ginger snaps are great, but I love soda bread."

"We can make one today, and the other later. Which do you want to make now?"

Rory thought for a moment before answering, "Ginger snaps...please."

* * *

Eventually, the baking marathon ended. They had just started to clean up when Zoe could be heard crying through the baby monitor. Kurt excused himself and went to tend to his daughter. A quick diaper change later and Zoe was awake and happy. While he was still upstairs, he decided to check his email. He was surprised to see a response from Rory's family already.

_Hi Kurt!_

_My name's Emmett and since Rory may not have told u yet, I'm one of his bros - I'm the cool one :)_

_Anyway...in case u haven't figured it out, this is my email account - Mum doesn't have one - and since I'm always on the computer, Mum said to use mine._

_And what kind of new age teen would I be if Idk what Skype is? I cant believe we didn't think about it b4. Tho I did use ur instructions to make an account…_

_Did u know we're only about 5 hours ahead of u? I hope u get this b4 it gets too late… I told Mum about this and she's getting antsy and is all worried about her baby - don't tell Shamus but Rory's the favorite._

_So do u think we can talk soon...like tonite?_

_I'll be online until midnite my time (so 7 for u) If u get this, don't bother replying back - just log on before I have to log off. But if it's too late, email me w/a time._

_Cant wait to chat :)_

_Emmett _

Kurt could tell that it was one of Rory's siblings just by reading the email. Emmett certainly wrote it like a teenaged texter, but it was still readable. Kurt looked at the clock and saw that it was only three. Emmett had said that he'd be logged on until midnight, but he didn't want to wait too long to call. He noticed that the boys had started another round of Rock Band, so getting them to include Stevie and Stacey for a round or two shouldn't be a problem.

"Kurt? Are you two alright?" Kurt jumped as Blaine entered the bedroom.

"Blaine! Yeah, we're fine. Zoe woke up from her nap and I figured I'd check my email real quick while I was right here."

Blaine cocked his head to the side, "You don't normally do that when there's people over...what's up?"

Kurt explained his idea to Blaine, who readily agreed and said that he'd help keep everyone occupied downstairs. Blaine asked if he'd checked to make sure Emmett was logged on, and sure enough, he was. Blaine volunteered to send Rory up, so while he did that, Kurt clicked on Emmett's name and was faced with an empty chair.

"Um, hello? Anyone there?" Kurt heard a loud yell and was soon greeted with a very hyper teenager.

Followed by two younger kids.

"Hi there...are you Emmett, Gemma and Shamus?" Kurt guessed he was right by the smiles on their faces.

"You have to be Kurt then. I'm Emmett," said the teen in the chair. "Gemma and Shamus have been jumping up and down since I sent that email to you. I'm so glad you got on so soon."

Kurt chuckled, "Well I figured it would be nice if your parents could say hello as well. I didn't want to wait too long. Rory will be here in a second - my boyfriend is getting him from downstairs. I didn't tell him I was doing this. I thought it would be a nice surprise." Zoe apparently didn't like being ignored, so she started to fuss, which got the attention of Gemma.

"Oh is that a baby? I wanna see!" Kurt complied and angled the camera a little. "Aw, what's her name?"

"This is Zoe; she's my daughter." Shamus shoved Gemma so he could get a better look.

"She looks little. Does she have cooties?"

Kurt laughed, "No she doesn't have cooties, and she's three months old."

"Well she looks adorable." Kurt looked up and noticed that two more people had joined in.

"Hello Kurt. It's wonderful to meet you. I'm Rory's mother, Joann, and this is my husband, Damian. I must thank you. I was starting to worry about Rory. His last email had me worried."

Kurt smiled, "It's nice to meet you all too. I just met Rory today and already we're becoming best friends. Now, he has no idea we're doing this, so if you could bear with me for a minute…"

Kurt heard someone coming up the stairs.

"I'm going to minimize the window, but I won't cut off the sound. Just hang tight, and you'll be able to talk for as long as you want." Luckily, everyone agreed, though Kurt saw Emmett putting his hand over Shamus's mouth to keep him quiet. Kurt stood up from the desk, just as Rory knocked on the doorframe.

"Sorry Kurt. The guys asked me to play a round. Blaine said you needed to show me something?"

"Oh, that's alright Rory. You can go back downstairs in a bit, if you want. I do have something to show you, if you don't mind."

Rory looked puzzled, "Um, sure, what?"

"Remember when we were talking earlier about being homesick? Well, it reminded me of how I was when I first moved to Dalton. Granted, I was only a couple hours away from home, but that doesn't mean I handled it well. So I got to thinking: especially since Zoe lives with me at school now, Dad, Mom, and Finn don't get to see Zoe every day. In order to keep the 'Zoe withdrawal level' down, we Skype a few nights a week. It's not the same as seeing each other every day, but it helps out. This got me thinking that it could help you out as well."

Kurt gestured to Rory to take a seat in front of his laptop, before doing anything else. "I talked to Britt's mom and she gave me a way to contact your family. They set up a Skype account, and since I already have one, you can borrow it...at least until we get you set up as well." Kurt opened up the window and said, "Surprise!"

Rory's jaw dropped. When Blaine said Kurt had to show him something, he wasn't expecting to see his family on a computer screen. Rory had heard Finn mention Skype nights during glee club, and had felt a little dumb asking about what it was. Sam and Mike had been nice enough to tell him what Skype was, but Rory never thought that it was something that was free and easy to use.

He believed that it cost money, and was an American thing, so he wouldn't be able to use it anyway. The thought that Finn and his parents could see Kurt, even when he was two hours away at school, saddened him some - even made him a little jealous. So Rory just forgot about it.

"How - I thought - what?" Rory really didn't know how to respond.

So he actually started to get misty-eyed and was trying to keep the tears back.

Kurt was biting his lip, worrying over Rory's mixed reaction. He was expecting at least a happy dance or something equivalent to it, not a half-heartbroken look and tears. Looking at the screen, he saw similar looks of worry on Joanne and Damian's faces, and was hoping for one of them to step in.

"Rory, what's wrong? We thought you'd be really excited about this. We miss seeing you around the house."

"Your father's right, sweetheart. I'd never heard of such a thing, but when Emmett received an email from Kurt and we checked it out, I'm embarrassed none of us thought of this in the first place. I trust you kids to tell your parents about these cool internet things."

Rory was now confused, "What do you mean? I didn't know about Skype until a couple weeks ago. Finn was talking about chatting with Kurt, and I had to ask a couple of the guys to explain it to me. When they started getting technical about it, I just stopped listening. I didn't want you to waste money on it."

Kurt finally figured it out. "Rory, Skype is free to use when it's chats like this. It only costs money if you use it for phone calls. What we're doing right now, is FREE. As long as you remember the time difference, you can talk face-to-face with your family whenever you want. We're logged on my account right now, but later I'll help you set up one. I know Britt won't mind sharing her computer."

It seemed that simple explanation was what Rory was waiting for. After Kurt finished explaining it, Rory's whole demeanor did a 180. He was no longer upset and was excited to talk to his family. Kurt saw the grateful expressions on the Flanagans' faces, and decided to leave them to it.

"Well, now that we have that settled...Zoe and I are going to head back downstairs - someone has to keep an eye on everyone. In the meantime, you all catch up." Kurt grabbed a few things off of his bed and turned to leave the room. "It was nice to meet you all. I'm sure we'll talk again."

Just before he closed the door, Rory stopped him. "Kurt - thanks. You don't know what this means to me."

Kurt smiled at Rory. "Don't worry about it. Enjoy your family bonding. We'll be lounging downstairs with snacks, so join us whenever you're done - no rush, alright?"

Once Kurt had left, Rory finally took a seat in front of the laptop. He was still in shock, but was too happy to think much about it.

"So...how's everything going?" Rory asked, hoping they wouldn't mention his last email. It had been a depressing read.

"Oh don't think you can get out of talking about that last email, mister." Rory groaned, _so much for that._ "Are you doing alright? Do you want to come home? Don't think you can't; no one will be able to argue with me. I'm your mother."

"Mom...everything's fine now. Obviously coming over today was the best thing for me. I played some video games with the guys from glee club, but I also got to bake cookies with Kurt and Sam's brother and sister. I got to play with Zoe a little too. I was just really homesick, but I'm better now. Please don't make me leave."

Damian laughed, "Don't worry Rory. If you want to stay there, that's fine. We're your parents - we're supposed to worry about you kids, especially the ones that are an ocean away. So tell us how everything's going."

Rory smiled again and proceeded to catch up with his family, telling them about everything that was going on and how he was doing. His siblings were jealous, but his parents were reassured that he was actually doing okay. Rory didn't mention the little bit of bullying he had to deal with, per se, but he did them how Brittany thought he was a leprechaun that could grant wishes.

Rory spent the next two hours with his family, and it was the best thing ever.

* * *

Blaine had already explained to everyone where Rory was going to be for the foreseeable future by the time Kurt reappeared in the living room. The guys had gotten tired of playing and were now trying to decide on a movie to watch.

Which was going as well as it did earlier with the video game - nowhere.

Kurt left them to argue amongst themselves and went to get Zoe's bottle ready. He'd told Sarah earlier that she could feed her. Blaine entered the kitchen just as Kurt was ready to head back.

"Hey, how's Rory doing? Was he surprised?"

"That's an understatement. I thought he was going to pass out from shock. He's much better now, so don't be surprised if he doesn't come down for an hour at least."

"Well at the rate we're going, he can join us for the movie, since we still haven't agreed on anything. Most of them want to watch an action or horror movie, and a few of us want Disney." Blaine was interrupted by his phone. He sighed and typed a response back before looking up and seeing Kurt's head tilted to the side.

"What's wrong?"

"Sebastian. His parents are out of town. He sounds lonely."

Kurt felt for Sebastian, so he just said, "Invite him over. It's not like he's that far away. He's the closest Warbler to Lima, even if only by forty-five minutes. And maybe you can persuade him to help the Disney vote." Kurt thought for a moment. "Maybe I should invite Quinn and Tina. I haven't hung out with them much, and I would love to hear from them about whatever the hell is going on with New Directions. I still can't get over the other girls just leaving and joining an all-girl group. Too many divas in one place never ends well."

"No Rachel?"

"She's spending the weekend with her dads in Columbus, and if she did come, I wouldn't be able to talk about glee club drama."

"You make an excellent point; for a moment, I forgot we were talking about Rachel Berry. I'll take care of Seb if you can handle Tina and Quinn?" At Kurt's nod, he said, "Great. He'll be here soon then." Blaine walked out of the room with a bounce to his step. Kurt stared for a second and narrowed his eyes.

"Blaine, honey?" Blaine stopped, but was still trying to inch his way out of the room.

"Um, yeah?"

"Did you already invite him over? Am I going to hear the doorbell in a half an hour?" As he finished his question, as if by magic, the doorbell rang.

"Well, not exactly...more like now?" Blaine grinned sheepishly as Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Oh for the love of…you're such a puppy! Go answer the door and I'll deal with you later. And Blaine," Blaine was now hiding behind the doorway, "Sebastian can come over whenever he wants - I don't mind. You seem to forget you live here too." Blaine smiled and ran to the front door, yelling that he'd get it.

Kurt could hear Blaine greeting Sebastian at the door, and he was certainly jumping like a puppy does. He looked at Zoe who was staring at him, smiling. "You have a puppy for a dad; I hope you don't mind. And you're getting spoiled today. You have several of your non-Dalton admirers here, and Tina and Quinn are stopping by too. Whatever are we gonna do with them all?"

* * *

When Rory finally rejoined the group, he was surprised to see that Tina and Quinn had shown up, as well as another boy he didn't recognize. He was confused to see that half of them - Finn, Puck, Sam, Artie, Mike, and the one he didn't know - were pouting, while the rest - Kurt, Blaine, Stevie, Stacey, Sarah, Tina and Quinn - were smirking.

"Um, what's going on?"

Kurt laughed, "Hey Rory. Did you have a nice chat with your family?"

"Uh, yeah, I did actually. Thanks for that...why are the guys sulking? And who's that?" pointing at Sebastian.

"This is Sebastian. He goes to Dalton with Blaine and me. Seb, this in Rory. He's at McKinley with everyone for the year. Be nice and remember what I said."

Sebastian smirked at Kurt before standing up and walking up to Rory. He grabbed one of his hands and gave it a kiss, causing Rory to blush and stammer.

"Hey there Irish. You're certainly a cute one. What say you and I blow this joint and I show you a good time?" Rory didn't get time to form a response; Blaine had jumped up and tackled Sebastian to the floor.

"What did we say?! No flirting or terrorizing the new kid. Let him get used to you first, and don't waste your energy - you're not his type."

While the two of them wrestled on the floor, Rory just stood there, trying to make some sense over whatever had just happened in the last five minutes. Kurt, seeing Rory's expression, gently pushed Rory onto the couch and passed Zoe over to him. It took a couple of minutes, but eventually he regained his senses and looked to Kurt for an explanation.

"Did I just get hit on?"

Tina, Quinn, Sarah, and Stacey giggled at Rory's question, while Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Would it bother you if I said yes? Sebastian can be a little overwhelming at first. He likes flirting with pretty much everyone, but don't worry - he's harmless. Try to think of it as his way of saying 'hi'."

"Oh, no...it's alright. I've just never had a cute guy do that to me before. I don't mind." Rory was interrupted from saying much else, as the two Warblers kept battling on the floor.

"OW! Blaine! That hurt!"

"Oh come on Seb! Don't be a wuss!"

The rest of the room was watching and waiting to see who would win the impromptu fight. However, once Sebastian started pulling Blaine's hair and Blaine had Sebastian in a headlock, Kurt had had enough. Showing off the fact that he was stronger than he looked, Kurt managed to get a hold of each of their arms and yanked them apart.

"Okay! That's enough! Get off the floor or no treats for you! You're teenagers, not children." Apparently, the threat of no dessert worked and the two separated to different chairs. The rest of the boys were a little speechless, not by Kurt getting them apart, but by the fact that it was such a parental move to make.

He even had the finger point and the hands-on-his-hips down pat.

"Now, Sebastian, you apologize to Rory -"

"But Blaine -" Sebastian argued.

"- for making him confused and slightly uncomfortable. And Blaine, you apologize to Sebastian -"

"What!?" yelled Blaine.

"- for tackling him to the floor in the first place. A simple ear tug would have sufficed. He was only messing around. Then Sebastian is going to apologize for pulling your hair -"

"Oh come on -"

"- and he's going to say he's sorry for putting you in a headlock. And if you have any desire to get cookies, apologize for being a bad example in front of the kids. That should cover everything."

Two open mouths met his gaze.

"Well? Any longer, and I'll just send your cookies to Wes; I'm sure he'd love to get some home-baked treats."

The threat of not only missing out on cookies, but losing them to Wes, was reason enough for Blaine to start apologizing. Sebastian was confused - he didn't know who this Wes was - but not wanting to lose out on food, he apologized as well. Kurt was all smiles after that and gladly handed them their prizes. Both boys happily accepted, and in no time at all, they had devoured three cookies apiece.

"Kurt, you have the almighty Mama Bear attitude down wonderfully," said Tina.

"If I didn't think you were parent material before, I would after all that," said Quinn.

"Thank you ladies. As you can see, it's necessary. You should see the other Warblers when we're brainstorming ideas; although those fights usually involve pillows and sheet music. Zoe is often the calmest one in the room."

"You should've seen him while he was still pregnant. You wanna talk about Mama Bear…" everyone looked up to see Burt leaning in the doorway.

"You're one to talk - where do you think I learned it all?" said Kurt with a smirk.

"Dad, what are you doing back so early?" asked Finn. "I thought you and Mom were gonna be home late."

"We won't be long Finn. Carole needed to change her shirt, and I forgot the tickets. While she's doing that, I figured I'd check on all of you in here. I must say though Blaine - those were some nice moves there. And the hair pulling is a classic one, Sebastian. It's an oldie but a goodie."

"Thanks Burt."

"Thanks Mr. Hummel."

"Just do me a favor and keep the bloodshed to a minimum...if you spill any, Kurt will make you clean it up, and trust me, you will not be able to get out of it."


	19. Bad Things Happen in Threes

**Hello Readers! I bring forth Chapter 19! It's a little longer than I was expecting it to be, but I apparently couldn't stop myself. This chapter is similar to the previous one, in that I tie in Kurt with another character; this time it's Artie. They've never had a lot of screen time together, and I wish we could've **_**seen**_** them actually singing together in 'You Can't Stop the Beat'. Anyway…**

**I'm gonna take a second to answer a few reviews. As I said before, if there's something you want to see, review and let me know; you never know when it might show up.**

Here's Hoping**: Most names can be spelled multiple ways. Seamus is one way to spell it, yes, but, it can also be Shaemus. Shamus – in chapter 18 – is based off of my uncle's godson, so I used his spelling. Thanks for your input.**

njferrell & Jay Li Matsuda**: I do want Sebastian to be with someone, and I've taken both of your suggestions into consideration, as you'll see later :-)**

**Also to **Jay Li Matsuda**: Their first time may be in the next chapter. After all, in my story their anniversary is coming up, since they got together during Winter Break. **hint hint****

**And since I haven't done this in a while: I still don't own Glee. There will be a few lines from the episode 'Mash Off' that I've borrowed - again, not mine. Neither is _The Emperor's New Groove _(This happened totally by accident, but then I couldn't resist leaving it in) Once again, thanks for the reviews and favorites. Between 'Pink' and 'Purple' we're at 84 reviews…can we get it up to 100? I've started to write chapter 2 of the sequel, and I'll post it once we hit 100 reviews (so there's an incentive for you). **

**This follows 'Saturday Night Antics'. Enjoy! **

_**Bad Things Happen in Threes**_

* * *

To say that the cookies were a hit was an understatement. Everyone from New Directions got a goodie bag to bring home. Rory was given several extra bags to give to Brittany, who'd get one for herself and could pass the rest to Mercedes and Santana. Even though they were part of the Troubletones now, Kurt felt weird leaving them out. Even though New Directions had given up the fight for now, Kurt was still hanging on to the hope that everything would eventually get back to the way it was.

And even though Kurt used it as a threat initially, Wes did receive a care package. However, he didn't get to enjoy them as much as he would've liked, as his roommates took more than their fair share. Wes had actually called Kurt and asked - begged - for more.

Not everyone was happy though. The only person who got upset was Cooper, who found out Kurt had made cookies and complained that he didn't get any. Kurt had no problem reminding him that he'd made a birthday cake for him several weeks before, but it didn't really help, as Cooper tried for ten minutes to try to explain that there was a significant difference between a cake and cookies. Kurt resisted at first, but promised to make him his own batch the next time he was in town.

Any cookies that were left were packed up to be brought to Dalton. Kurt wasn't sure who to blame for letting the cat out of the bag - he was leaning on both Blaine and Sebastian sending text messages - but he had received some friendly threats from Jeff and Beatz that said he wasn't allowed to come back without treats.

* * *

After spending the day as a baker, schemer, babysitter, peacekeeper, and parent, Kurt was tired. When he had started to nod off on Blaine's shoulder, Finn took it upon himself to begin kicking people out of the house. By the time 10:05 hit, the only ones left in the house were Kurt, Blaine, Zoe, Finn, and Sebastian, who was staying the night, so he wouldn't have to drive home to an empty house.

Since Kurt was pretty much useless at this point, Finn had offered to carry him upstairs to his and Blaine's room, which Blaine quickly agreed to. Before he let him do that, though, Blaine went upstairs and blew up the air mattress that Kurt kept in his closet; he could get the sheets for it after Kurt was in bed. Sebastian had offered to get Zoe situated, as she was already asleep, as a thank you for letting him sleep over.

Once Kurt and Zoe were tucked in, the three remaining boys took care of getting the house back in order. Finn quietly moved furniture around; Sebastian cleaned up any trash; and Blaine took care of straightening up the kitchen. By the time Burt and Carole walked in the door an hour later, neither could tell there had been a mini-house party, and were surprised by how quiet the house was.

Burt was trying to figure out who was still in the house, since he wasn't sure who owned the extra car out front. He did a quick run-through in his head of who'd been there earlier, and had eliminated everyone but one: Sebastian. Burt figured he was probably with Kurt and Blaine in their room. While Carole volunteered to check on Finn and Zoe - both of them were asleep - Burt went to check on the rest, where he found his son dead to the world. Blaine was wrapped around Kurt and Sebastian was lightly snoring on the mattress on the floor.

Carole and Burt got ready for bed themselves, and the house was quiet for the rest of the night.

* * *

Kurt was debating on whether or not he should get up. He started to bury his head into his pillow before he realized that he was no longer on the living room couch. Once he sat up he also noticed that he wasn't wearing the clothes he had on the previous day either. He looked around the room and saw signs that Blaine and Sebastian had been there, but Kurt didn't know how long they'd been gone. The baby monitor was missing as well.

Kurt decided he'd go look for everyone first and get dressed later, as he noticed it was only a little after nine. He put on his slippers and made his way downstairs. As he hit the bottom of the stairs, he found that he was the last one up, which was unusual, but he had to admit that the ten hours of sleep had done wonders. Sebastian was feeding Zoe and looked up to see Kurt first.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," he said with a slight smirk. His smirk didn't last long, as a very much awake Zoe took her shot at trying to get at Sebastian's glasses - and managed to at least get them a little askew.

"Is that a new fashion statement, Seb? The whole angled-glasses look? I have to say, I'm not impressed."

"Hardy-freaking-har. It's not _that _funny Blaine," he replied, as Blaine laughed at his fashion faux pas while making breakfast with Carole. Burt was reading the paper, while Finn was half-awake at the table.

"Yeah it is. I told you she was gonna start aiming for them sooner or later. She almost got Artie's last night - again."

"Oh yeah? Well somebody ::cough:: _Blaine_ ::cough:: was supposed to remind me to take my contacts out. Mine aren't the ones that you can leave in for a month at a time. My eyes are delicate."

Kurt rolled his eyes at them as he made his coffee. "Enough you two. And Seb, your eyes are not delicate; you're just too lazy to get the ones you _can_ leave in. Besides, can't you two wait until I wake up a little more first? Sometimes I wonder if you were twins separated at birth. How long have you been up anyway? And how did I not hear Zoe last night? It was my turn for the monitor."

Blaine put some plates on the table, stopping at Kurt to give him a good morning kiss. "I put it on my side of the bed, so I could get her when she woke up, and she must have been tired since she only woke up once last night. We've only been down here since eight or so. Though Finn and Seb came down, what, twenty minutes ago?" he directed at the other boy, who nodded. "So we haven't been up too long."

While Blaine was talking to Kurt, Sebastian was facing quite the conundrum. He was eyeing the pancakes and bacon on the table and then looking at Zoe in his arms. Kurt finished cutting up his pancakes before taking pity on the confused Warbler.

"Here Seb, I can take her. I've more than mastered how to hold a baby and eat at the same time." Sebastian passed Zoe to Kurt, who just seemed to realize that Kurt had made an appearance, if her smile was anything to go by. Kurt let her wrap her hand around his finger for a second before pulling away so he could eat too. She didn't seem thrilled about that, as every time he pulled away, Zoe whined until Kurt gave her back a finger. Blaine then took it upon himself to alternate feeding Kurt with taking bites of his own meal.

"Oh my god, you two are killing me with your sweetness. I'm gonna have to bump up my appointment with the dentist to next week if you keep this up," Sebastian groaned.

"Ditto," said Finn and Burt.

Carole just laughed at all of them. "Well, I think they're just too cute for words. Here Kurt, pass her over; I'm done eating."

Kurt smiled, "Thanks Mom." He turned back to Sebastian. "Is that better, your highness?"

"Much, thank you. Don't you think I see enough of your lovey-dovey crap at Dalton?"

''Apparently not, so we figured we'd torture you more while you're here. It's all part of some diabolical plan."

"I knew it! I'm so telling Thad when we go back tonight. He didn't believe me when I said you two act like this on purpose to drive the rest of us insane."

"Thad huh?" Sebastian blushed at the smirk on Blaine's face. "Something going on there?"

"No, of course not. Thad's a nice guy and we've talked about you and your evil ways a few times. That's all."

"And why don't I believe that?" Blaine asked.

"Remember when I said that I wouldn't interfere with anyone's relationships? I meant what I said."

Kurt looked at him confused. "So what's stopping you?"

Sebastian just stared back, "Oh, I don't know. The fact he has a girlfriend. Remember - Melissa?"

Blaine scoffed, "They broke up again two weeks ago; where have you been?"

"Wait...again?" asked Sebastian.

"Thad and Melissa hang out when the other is available. Calling her his girlfriend is more of the 'friend that's a girl' than '_girlfriend_'. They've know each other since they were in elementary school. You know how often Rachel and Ross 'took breaks' on _Friends_? Thad and Melissa are our Ross and Rachel."

"Oh. That still doesn't help -"

"Thad loves everybody, Seb. It doesn't matter if it's a guy or a girl. He and Trent tried to date a while ago, but that didn't work out, so they're just friends."

Sebastian looked hopeful. "You think I have a shot?"

Surprisingly, Finn answered for him. "Dude, just go for it. You two must hang out a lot anyway, right? You never know until you try."

Kurt stared, "Okay, who are you and what happened to the real Finn?"

"What? Thad's cool and kicks some serious ass when we play games. No one can beat him in Mortal Kombat, and he is awesome in Guitar Hero. And he's got a good voice too. What more could you ask for?"

Burt snorted at the looks of shock on the other boys' faces. "Finn is giving relationship advice; we are officially in the Twilight Zone."

* * *

After breakfast, Kurt, Blaine, and Sebastian began working on some homework while Zoe took advantage of being free of the crib. Kurt had gotten her situated on the floor on a baby mat, and she was having a grand old time swatting at the toys that dangled above her. Granted, she wasn't hitting them every time she swung, but she seemed content and was smiling and making little noises. Blaine kept throwing pens at Sebastian, as a sad attempt to get him back on track; he kept watching Zoe instead of focusing on his essay.

"Will you quit that?! That last one got my ear!"

"Well, if you were concentrating more on your history assignment, then I wouldn't have to throw stuff at you."

Kurt was now getting annoyed. "I swear: if I have to separate the two of you - again - I will confiscate something you both hold dear."

Blaine and Sebastian looked at each other, puzzled. "Zoe? That's not really a threat because you'll eventually cave in."

"Yeah," Sebastian said, "you'll have to do better than that."

Kurt smirked, "Well, if you wanna try my patience, keep it up. And I didn't say it was Zoe."

Unbeknownst to them, Kurt had already taken Blaine's hair gel and Sebastian's contacts. Since it was supposed to be a lazy Sunday, and Blaine was trying to make up for the night before; he'd left his hair gel-free for the day, knowing how much Kurt liked it like that. Sebastian kept his glasses on because he was too lazy to be bothered with putting his contacts in after taking them out that morning.

Thankfully, Zoe had tired herself out, which left Sebastian without a distraction, and Blaine without an unsuspecting target. Kurt was happy to take the peace and quiet when he could, and was able to finish his work first. He was in the middle of deciding what to do while the other two finished, when he heard his phone buzz with an incoming text.

_**Hey Kurt - u busy?**_

_**Just finishing homework. What's up, Artie?**_

_**Could u give me the # 4 ur dad's shop or a tow truck that works today?**_

_**What happened?**_

_**Some1 hit the van & a few other cars on my street last nite. We woke up to find the front hit and the side door is too jammed to open. I wasn't sure if ur dad heard about it yet b/c im pretty sure he's about to get busy.**_

_**What?! Hold on a sec.**_

Kurt got up off the floor and told the other two to not kill each other while he was gone. He walked back downstairs and called out for his dad, who was in the living room on the phone himself. He just waved at his dad who held up a finger for him to wait a second. _I guess I don't have to tell him after all,_ Kurt thought.

"That's fine Kevin. If you and Rob can get it to the shop with your hookup, that'll work. Are the other cars drivable? Alright. I'll meet you at the shop in a bit then. Bye. Hey Kurt what's up?"

"I just got a text from Artie. He needs a tow to the shop and was asking for our number. Some idiot hit a bunch of cars on their street last night, and they got their van."

Burt groaned, "I thought that street sounded familiar. The one with his ramp on it?"

"Yeah...why?"

Burt sighed, "That was Kevin on the phone. He doesn't live that far from Artie's and heard the sirens last night. Most of the cars are just dented, but three cars were hit harder than the rest. Rob heard that one of them was already taken care of - it was the last one hit and was in a bad spot. He and Kevin are taking care of another car with his truck, and know I'm guessing the van he mentioned is Artie's."

Kurt gaped for a second, before asking, "Does that mean we have an available truck, then? Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for the other cars, but that van is how Artie gets around the easiest. His mom is the one that drops him off in the morning for school; otherwise, he needs his dad to help and you know he leaves for work a lot earlier than when school starts."

"I'm aware of that. Since Rob is helping Kevin, do you think you could give me a hand? I know Eileen would probably feel a little more comfortable if you came with, Artie too." Eileen was Artie's mom, and while they'd known each other for years, there was a good chance she was freaking out, especially with Mike - Artie's dad - out of town. And even though Burt got along with everyone, Kurt had to often remind him that he gave off an intimidating presence without knowing it.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Wait, how many cars are going to be brought into the shop then? Are you going to take care of them today too? I know you weren't planning on going in today."

"Considering this was a freak thing, it'd be easier to go in and at least start with the minor repairs and order parts for tomorrow. Some of the guys are coming in to help."

"Let me go change into my coveralls and tell Blaine and Sebastian to keep an eye on Zoe. I'll let Artie know we're coming, or am I just going? No offense, but shouldn't you be at the shop to do damage control?"

Burt thought for a moment. Kurt was more than capable of handling the tow truck himself, and he had a point too. He'd already told Kevin to tell anyone with drivable cars to head for the shop. Considering almost a dozen cars were involved, it'd make more sense to do damage control.

"Actually, do you mind? Not that I don't have faith in Kevin, but who knows what the shop will look like if I get there after getting Artie's van."

"That's fine Dad; I can handle it. I'll be down in a few minutes, and then we can go." Kurt went back upstairs to change, texting Artie back at the same time to expect him there soon. He walked back into the room to find Blaine and Sebastian playing with Zoe on the floor mat. He stood in the doorway for a second before announcing his presence.

"I hope you're done all of your work because I'm so not helping you when we get back to school tonight." Two heads whipped up and turned to see Kurt watching them. Kurt walked in and pulled his coveralls from the closet.

"Hey where'd you go? And why are you changing?" Blaine asked.

"Artie texted me, and Kevin was on the phone with Dad when I went downstairs. Some idiot banged up a bunch of cars on Artie's street last night, and they hit his van bad enough that it needs to be towed. Dad needs to handle damage control and open the shop today, so I'm going with him to get the truck and go to Artie's house to bring it back. Can you two handle watching Zoe until I get back? I shouldn't be gone too long."

Sebastian was actually the one pouting, "Aw, do you have to? I don't wanna be stuck with the meanie over here," ignoring Blaine's indignant 'Hey!'

"I have faith that the two of you can handle each other for an hour or so. Just do me a favor and try not to corrupt my daughter while I'm gone. Besides, I'm sure you can find something to do. If it wasn't someone I knew, Dad wouldn't be asking for help since he doesn't usually ask when I have plans already."

Sebastian huffed, "Fine, be that way. Zoe and I will just have to decide what to do, isn't that right cutie?" He turned to look at Zoe, only to find her dozing in Blaine's arms. "Traitor."

Blaine and Kurt laughed at him as Kurt changed. "Seb I promise not to be mean to you while Kurt's gone, okay? I swear on my Katy Perry cds."

Kurt snorted, "Can't get a better promise than that. Behave, and you'll get a reward later. I'll be back soon. Maybe I'll ask Artie to come over and he can help you with your math." After kissing Blaine goodbye, Kurt left the trio in his room. Sebastian finally started to come to his senses and realized that Blaine never said anything about Kurt leaving them there.

"How come I'm the one having a little fit and you're his boyfriend?"

"Because you're a four-year-old stuck in a teenager's body, and I'm more mature than you."

"No you're not."

"Yeah-hah."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yeh-hah."

Both boys stared at each other for a minute before Sebastian spoke again.

"Wanna watch _The Emperor's New Groove_?"

"Totally."

* * *

When Burt and Kurt got to the shop, they were happy to see that they were the first ones there. Burt went ahead and opened up, going straight for the key rack to retrieve the one for the tow truck. He walked out of the office in time to see Rob helping Kevin with the first car they'd brought in. Kurt was handling two other people who had followed them in, taking notes on a clipboard of the damage. He remembered a four car pileup from a few years ago, but he was hoping that the majority of the dozen cars involved here were mostly superficial damage.

Burt walked over to his son and overheard him as he finished talking. "-and we'll call you as soon as we have a final assessment." The couple left in a second car just as Kurt finished filling out the form. "Hey Dad, that couple lives two houses away from Artie. The one Kevin drove in and this one belongs to them. I just started with the preliminary assessment, since I didn't know who was going to be working on it."

"That's fine Kurt, thanks. Did they see Artie's van by any chance?"

"Yeah, but it sounds like it could've been worse. Do you have the key for me?"

"Here, and if you have any problems, stop what you're doing, and call. One of us will give you a hand."

"Will do. See you in a bit." Kurt left the clipboard with Burt and waved to Rob on the way out, as Kevin already underneath the first car. He got into the tow truck and made his way to Artie's house.

Ten minutes later, and Kurt had positioned the truck in front of the van. He got out and made his way to Artie, who was waiting for him outside of his house with his mom.

"Hey Artie. Hi Mrs. Abrams."

"Hey Kurt. Sorry to bother you about this, but Mom's been freaking out all day, and Dad's not home yet."

"Don't worry about it. Dad is at the shop already with two cars. What the hell happened anyway?" Kurt asked as he put on his gloves. Eileen finally came to her senses and noticed that Kurt was by himself.

"Kurt, are you sure you can handle this by yourself? I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Normally, Kurt would be annoyed or insulted, but Eileen was just being a mom who had never seen Kurt do this alone. Sure, he'd helped with their cars before, but it was another thing to actually see him in action. Artie had, so he wasn't worried.

"I've helped Dad with physically towing since I was fourteen, and I've done it alone several times, so I have plenty of practice. If there's a problem, I'll call him for help." Kurt had looked at the van and saw that while the side door was definitely jammed as well as one side of the front, he'd be able to do the hookup with few problems. Artie decided to let Kurt know what they knew.

"From what the cops told us, it was three drunk guys taking turns driving the car. They were so out of it, they thought they were playing a game of pinball. Apparently they didn't notice the fact they were driving a car and not in an arcade." Kurt scoffed at that as he secured the van.

"That's dangerous, reckless, and just plain stupid. I take it that they don't remember anything either?"

"They seriously thought they were playing some crazy virtual game. The police found out that they had been drinking somewhere locally, but they'd been kicked out and found somewhere else to go," Eileen added. "But with so much damage and being caught on some of those red light cameras, they're going to have a hard time denying fault."

"Well, try not to think too much over it," said Kurt. "We're keeping all of the cars involved on a separate ticket for the police report, so you won't have to worry about that as much. They'll be paying for the damages to all of the vehicles involved. I think what's more amazing is that no one got hurt."

She sighed, "That is something to be grateful for. Kurt, from your viewpoint, how bad is it?"

Kurt bit his lip as he thought. "The door's gonna be a handful, but on the bright side, at least we don't have to worry about the ramp, since it's a pullout and not a lift. The front can be banged out, but with the mess under the car, the engine or something around it was definitely punctured. Honestly, I can't say more until we look under the hood, as cliché as that sounds."

"Oh dear. No chance it'll be okay before school tomorrow?"

"Mom, I think we'd need a miracle for it to be ready by then. I'll ask one of the guys for a ride in the morning; they've helped me out before when the van needed work done on it."

Kurt had finished hooking up the van and was ready to bring it back to the garage. He would normally offer a ride back as well, but wasn't sure if Eileen would be able to handle waiting there. Artie on the other hand…

"Artie, do you want to come back with me? Dad said he'd look at it as soon as I got back. No offense, Mrs. Abrams, but Artie can hang at my house for a little bit with me, Blaine and Sebastian, Zoe too if she's awake. You can wait here, and we'll take care of telling Mr. Abrams about it, so he's aware of how bad it is."

"That's cool with me. Can I Mom? Besides, you said that you were going to help the neighbors clean up."

"Oh I almost forgot," she said. "Well if Kurt doesn't mind?"

"Then it's settled. Do you need to grab anything?"

Artie asked his mom to grab his wallet and cell phone from his room. While she went into the house, Kurt helped maneuver Artie into the tow truck, and sent a text to Blaine to let him know he was bringing company. As they drove away from Mrs. Abrams, Artie sighed in relief and promptly thanked Kurt.

"You are such a lifesaver, Kurt. I love my mom, but she is such a worry-wart and it gets a little overbearing after a while, especially when Dad isn't home to help. Good news is, he'll be home tonight; he was helping my uncle move this weekend."

"It's not a problem - I could tell you were a little stressed. Relax and think happy thoughts. You don't even have to be home until seven at the latest, if you want. I'd offer later, but we have to get back to Dalton tonight."

"Totally understandable. Dad should be home by then, and everything will be fine."

"Just to warn you - Blaine and Seb were having some issues with their homework, so be prepared to hear them beg for assistance."

A few minutes later found them back at the garage, where there was certainly more activity then when Kurt had left. Kurt beeped the horn and saw Adam acknowledge him first, signaling to Rob to move out of the way so Kurt could pull in. Burt met up with them as Kurt finished parking.

"No trouble I take it?" he asked, as he noticed Artie in the passenger seat. "Hey Artie, you hanging out for a little bit? How's your mom?"

Artie rolled his eyes, "Hey Mr. Hummel, and yes I am. I think we both need some space right now."

"Say no more. Now let's take a look," he said, as he watched Kurt help Artie out of the truck.

"How bad are the other cars, Dad? And when did Adam get here?"

"Most just need to be reshaped a little and some slight touch-ups. He just got here. Adam and his shop will be helping us out with the cosmetic stuff, so I figured it'd be easier if he had an idea of what to expect. When we're done repairing, he'll take care of the rest." Adam was a friend of Burt's from high school. While Burt liked how cars worked, Adam was more into how they looked. All these years later, and they were the best deal in the county; they were always referring customers back and forth.

Artie waited for Burt to take stock of the van. "Mr. Hummel, Kurt gave us his opinion already but what do you think?" Kurt told his dad his first impression and Burt agreed with what he said. Burt managed to get the hood open, and though the engine looked alright, there were a few minor problems.

"Kurt pretty much covered it; it's all fixable, but I may need to keep it till tomorrow, maybe Tuesday. Is now an okay time to call your dad? No offense, but I'd rather leave the telling Eileen part to him."

"None taken. I can call him now if you want." At Burt's nod, Artie dialed and shortly after passed the phone over. Once that was settled, Kurt and Artie left to head back to the house.

* * *

Kurt and Artie made it back to Kurt's house a short time later. Since they'd forgotten that they drove over together, Burt told Kurt to take his truck home and that he'd get one of the guys to drop him off later. Kurt helped Artie out of the truck again and they walked up to the front door, Kurt detouring to the side of the house to grab the ramp that they kept there for Artie. They entered the living room and stopped in their tracks, confused at the scene they were witnessing.

There was a movie playing on the tv. Zoe was staring at Blaine and Sebastian from her spot on the floor, who were quoting the ending with scary accuracy, and not noticing that they'd acquired an audience. The two of them were standing in front of the couch, holding a couple of Zoe's toys in the air.

_"My acorn is missing,"_ said Kronk on the screen.

"Squeak, squeakin', squeak, squeakity," replied Blaine and Sebastian.

_"Did you eat the acorn?"_

"Squeaker, squeak, squeak, squeakin'?"

_"You owe me a new acorn."_

"Squeak squeak squeak, squeak, squeaker…" Kurt coughed to get their attention, allowing the kitty version of Yzma to say the last 'Squeakin'. Their jaws dropped, but without missing a beat, Kurt went along with it and said Kronk's last line in the movie himself.

"I'm so proud of you guys." Artie snorted and kept laughing as Blaine and Sebastian blushed hard at being caught in the act. Kurt walked further into the room and towards the embarrassed duo.

"Well boys, it's nice to see you're getting along now. What spurred the sudden desire to watch _The Emperor's New Groove?_ And are you seriously using Zoe's mini-stuffed animals as _acorns_?"

Blaine coughed and tried to regain his composure, "Well, we had a moment earlier and we got the urge to watch this particular movie. We figured we'd be done by the time you got back. Hi Artie."

"Sup Tipo?" Kurt couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing too. He watched as Sebastian dropped the toy he was holding and was trying to nonchalantly nudge it onto Zoe's blanket. "That's not gonna work, Seb. We already witnessed the whole scene. Bravo." Sebastian groaned and fell against the couch. Zoe took that as her moment to make herself known.

Kurt bent down and scooped up the little girl. "Did you have fun watching Daddy and Uncle Seb make fools of themselves? Yes, I bet you did." He looked up and saw Sebastian hiding his face in a pillow and Blaine pouting. Kurt rolled his eyes at Artie, who almost started laughing again, and proceeded to kiss the pout off Blaine's face. Artie whistled for them and Sebastian made gagging noises in the background, though Zoe just cooed and pumped her legs against Kurt's chest.

"Oh my god, you two are gonna make me sick?"

"Aw, are you feeling left out Sebby?" asked Blaine.

"Do you want me to kick your ass again?" retorted Sebastian. Kurt rolled his eyes again and told them to break it up.

"Are we really gonna do this again? Last I checked, I took care of both of your asses last night." The room fell silent and it took Kurt a moment to realize how that last sentence came out. Artie let out a 'Damn!', while Blaine and Sebastian stared with their mouths open.

"That is NOT what I meant, and you all know it! Shut up Artie!" Kurt yelled, as he failed to contain his blush. Kurt spun around and headed up the stairs, mumbling something about changing Zoe. Artie, Blaine and Sebastian stared at each other, until Blaine lost it and all three of them were laughing at Kurt's expense.

By the time Kurt and Zoe came back down, everyone had calmed down, though Artie still snorted when he looked at Kurt. The boys had put on a football game but were paying little attention to it, as Artie was being asked about his van and what had occurred the night before. Having already heard the story, Kurt detoured into the kitchen to grab a bottle for Zoe and a drink for him. Usually he'd offer the others something, but carrying a tray with one hand and Zoe in the other, was not a skill he'd mastered yet. That, and he figured they could get whatever they want themselves.

"-so Kurt offered to let me hang out here for a bit, and if all else fails, I could be dropped off on your way back to Dalton. So that's pretty much it."

"Damn, Artie...that sucks. So what are you gonna do in the morning?" Sebastian asked.

"I already sent a text to Mike and he said he'd pick me up, so I don't need to worry about that. I'm not worried about it - Kurt can tell you this isn't the first time we've had to get the van fixed."

"Though it is the first time in a long time that your dad wasn't around to soften the blow for your mother. That's the main reason I came to get you; Dad's not great with crying women. No offense."

Artie waved him off. "I love my mom to death but sometimes her over-worrying is tiring."

"I do have to give her credit. She's not nearly as bad as she used to be." Sebastian and Blaine looked at Kurt in confusion.

"What do you mean Kurt?" asked Sebastian.

Kurt was burping Zoe and missed the question. "What?"

"Yeah, we're confused. Aren't moms supposed to worry about their kids? I mean, I know my mom never seemed to care about me, but generally, isn't that how parents are supposed to act?" asked Blaine.

Artie answered first, "Oh, he just means that after the accident, my mom had a hard time letting me out of her sight while. I wasn't always doing wheelies." The two Warblers were now not only confused, but somewhat shocked at how casually Artie was talking about it. Kurt realized that neither of them knew how Artie became paralyzed, so some explaining was in order.

"Artie, his dad, my mom, and I were in a bad car accident when we were younger. Some guy didn't want to slow down and blew through a red light. He slammed into their car, which caused it to bounce off our car. My mom and Artie's dad ended up with bumps and bruises; Mr. Abrams had a broken arm and Mom suffered from whiplash and a concussion. Artie and I were on the wrong sides of our cars, as we both ended up getting hit harder in the passenger seats."

Blaine stared at Kurt. "You never told me you were in a car wreck."

"I never mentioned it?" Blaine shook his head. "Sorry, honey, I thought I did."

"So how badly were you two hurt?" asked Sebastian. "I mean, Artie obviously got off worse, since he's in a wheelchair."

"Kurt was too for a little while," said Artie. "I got stuck between the seat and the dashboard; my dad and I had two separate impacts - one from the driver of the other car, and one from hitting Kurt's car. The angle we collided at caused him to be temporarily paralyzed due to a compressed spinal cord."

"That's actually how we met. Artie and I shared a hospital room and a physical therapist. Initially, the doctors weren't sure whether or not both of us would be permanently paralyzed. It took a couple of weeks before I started to feel anything, and even then it was the barest of tingling. I was discharged before Artie, but we became friends and begged our parents to work out similar therapy appointment times. I was in the wheelchair for six months."

Blaine was a little flabbergasted. "You were paralyzed? Is that why you had those 'freak-outs' when you were pregnant? When you hit the third trimester, you were always saying that you needed to keep your circulation going, or your legs fell asleep. You even had an anxiety attack that one time."

Sebastian knew a thing or two about them, though he had been more prone to panic attacks. "An anxiety attack while pregnant does not sound like a good time."

"Oh, it wasn't," said Kurt. "I had never been that heavy before, and the amount of weight I was carrying did not bode well with me. One day, I had been taking a nap in bed at a weird angle, so when I woke up, my legs were asleep. I waited a minute, but when I tried to get up, I couldn't move my legs. It just brought back bad memories. Luckily, Dad was able to talk me out of it and within a few minutes I was able to wiggle my toes and I was fine."

"I was tempted to offer you my backup chair, so you could get around easier, but then you did the whole bed rest thing and I didn't bother," Artie said. "And I remembered that your house has stairs, so…"

"It's the thought that counts," Kurt said with a smile. "You have no idea how much I appreciated your company after school let out. I would've gone crazy if it wasn't for you. If that bed rest had been mandatory, and meant staying in bed, I don't know what I would've done."

"Same here. It sucks when all of your friends are either working or on vacation somewhere...kinda limits your options. But we did have some great movie marathons, and if we don't know all the answers to the Scene It DVD games by now, then there's no hope for us."

"And where was lover boy at?" asked Sebastian. "I can't picture him leaving you alone in such a delicate state."

Blaine snorted, "Try saying that in front of Puck, and he'll give a good argument about Kurt being a total badass while under self-imposed house arrest. I had already made a prior commitment to work a few weeks at a theme park, and Kurt threatened to destroy my secret stash of candy if I backed out."

Sebastian smirked, "You caved because he was gonna throw your candy out?"

Blaine actually began to pout a little. "Red vines are my favorite and he was going to eat them and not share with me."

"Not that it really mattered. Every time he re-hid them, I'd find them the first chance I got to look for them. It was super helpful, considering red vines were the only candy I craved for. Now where's your homework? If me and Artie can't help you get it done, then I give up on you two."

* * *

Burt was able to get the van back to the Abrams by the middle of the week, but it was running better than it had in a long time, so no one really fussed over it.

Tensions were running high as Sectionals rolled around. Everyone was hoping that this year, there would be less drama, but they'd decided to wait and see what fiascos happened this time around. The Warblers were successful in winning their round, beating out Spencerville High again, as well as some other group they'd never heard of. They had surprised themselves with how well they'd done and couldn't wait to see what would happen at Regionals.

In the meantime, the Warblers were keeping tabs on the happenings at McKinley.

The New Directions and the Troubletones were going to be battling it out with each other for the right to keep their group; the Unitards were, apparently, not even being considered as real competition. Though several of the Warblers were friends with the members of both teams, it was obvious that Kurt was having the worst time dealing with it. He'd heard from Artie and Rory that things were getting pretty heated, the worst of it between Finn and Santana. Kurt was starting to get worried about their Sectionals and it seemed any hope of his ladies in the Troubletones changing their minds and backing out was slim to none.

He'd tried talking to Mercedes and Santana, but nothing good had come out of either conversation. Brittany had never stopped talking to Kurt, and for that he was thankful for. The blonde was only in the Troubletones because of Santana, and where the Latina went, Brittany followed. She'd been unknowingly keeping Kurt up to date with what was going on with the girl-only group, and she'd mentioned that though she missed New Directions, she loved Santana more.

Kurt was especially worried when he heard about the unsupervised, killer dodgeball game that was happening after school one day the week after the Warblers' Sectionals. He was once again grateful that Dalton had in-service days once a month, not to mention that he didn't have rehearsals to worry about at the moment either, though it didn't stop the apprehension he felt about having to go on campus at McKinley.

Blaine had seen the texts from various New Directions members, and to be honest, he was worried as well. Dodgeball was a fun game, but not when anger was involved. Before Kurt could ask Blaine to watch Zoe, the lead soloist had already packed them all up to return to Lima, if not in time to stop the game, to at least help nurse the injuries that were sure to happen as a result.

* * *

They made it just in time to see the groups moving onto the court. It didn't help Kurt's nerves as he heard Puck's description of the rules to Rory. Zoe had started fussing in the car on the way over, obviously sensing Kurt's anxiety. She didn't stop until she got distracted by the red balls flying all over the room. Kurt barely noticed how quiet she'd gotten; he was too focused on how much force each side was putting into their strikes, some more so than others. Blaine was trying to stay positive, waiting and wishing for someone to come to their senses and call for a draw...or for an adult to show up.

It didn't take long before it was down to Santana and Finn, and with a shot to the face, the Troubletones had won the game. Blaine let out a breath, glad that it was over. He'd taken to checking on the New Directions as they limped and dragged themselves to the sidelines, and had already wrapped up Tina's ankle and was passing out ice packs to Mike and Quinn. He almost missed Rory going up to check on Finn.

"Boy, oh boy, that was a cracker!" Blaine looked up and had a very bad feeling.

"What was that, Ireland? Doesn't matter." Before anyone could make a move, the Troubletones began pelting balls at Rory, one after another. Blaine wasn't even able to attempt to hold Kurt back, who had run onto the court as soon as he realized what was about to happen.

"STOP IT! What is WRONG with you?! For god's sakes - he's bleeding!" Several jaws dropped at that announcement. Blaine heard Tina and Quinn gasp in horror, though Santana didn't seem to care. Sure enough, when Rory lifted his head, everyone could see the blood gushing from his nose.

"God, calm down, grandma -"

"No, I will NOT calm down! There is NO reason why you should resort to pulling the same crap that the rest of the school does. What happened to being friends with each other? Even separated, you should still be looking out for each other, not bringing each other down. You should be ashamed of yourselves." Kurt helped Rory off the floor, grabbed the stroller, and took them into the bathroom in the hallway. While it was a little out of the way, Kurt couldn't bring himself to go into the locker room.

Blaine had followed them in with a chair he'd grabbed, so that Rory could sit down while Kurt took care of cleaning him up. He gently felt Rory's face for broken bones and found none, though he was sure it was going to bruise a bit.

"Okay Rory, lean forward a little for me...good. We'll focus on getting the bleeding to stop first; then we'll get you cleaned up, alright?" Rory nodded slightly, not really in the mood to talk at the moment. Kurt turned to Blaine, who was distracting Zoe, and asked about everyone else.

"Well you didn't see the reactions I did. Mercedes and Brittany actually looked sorry and Rachel looked like she was going to start crying. I left some ice and heat packs for them; I don't know if you noticed the face shots."

"Oh I noticed them, all right. I just can't believe the way the Troubletones were going at it. Most of them don't even know the New Directions!" Kurt sighed in frustration, "I am so_ pissed_ right now." He heard Rory wince, as Kurt had pinched a little too hard. "Sorry Rory."

Rory shrugged, "Don't worry about it. I think the bleeding's almost stopped." Kurt got a wet paper towel and dabbed at Rory's face to get rid of the drying blood. Kurt sighed again, but this time in relief.

"It's still dripping, so do me a favor and keep the pressure on it for a few more minutes, okay?" Just then, they heard a knock on the door. Blaine walked over and opened it for Finn and Puck. They had taken over for Blaine and had just finished tending to the rest of their group, as well as a few of the Troubletones who'd asked for assistance.

"How you doing dude?" Finn asked.

Rory gave him a thumbs up. "Better now. You alright?" Kurt looked at his brother's face and asked if he'd gotten an ice pack yet. Puck on the other hand was submitting to a quick scan by Blaine, who'd managed to lift Puck's shirt to get a look at his side. Puck had performed a lovely dive that had resulted in an awkward landing on the hard gym floor.

"What did you land on, Puck? You're pretty scratched up."

"I dunno; I think Artie tried to catch me - DUDE!" Blaine had already dug through the first aid kit and was cleaning and bandaging Puck's side.

"Stop whining Noah. Better to do it now and get it over with." Puck just hissed in reply to Kurt's comment. Finn looked like he was going to put in his two cents, but Kurt gave him a look and told Finn to shut up and sit down.

"You're too tall Finn, and I need to check your eye. Where is everyone else?"

Finn winced as Kurt pressed on his face. "Choir room. We told Sam we were checking on Rory and we'd meet back there. I have no idea where Santana and her bitch brigade went - OW!"

"Stop with the insults - I don't wanna hear it anymore. Are the rest of you alright? Blaine said he wrapped Tina's ankle."

"She said she twisted it, but it's not too bad. The majority of us are covered with either ice packs or heating pads. We got lucky, I think."

Blaine stared at Finn, "How is any of this," he gestured to him, Rory, and Puck, "lucky?"

"If all of the girls were playing like Santana was, we would've been screwed. A bunch of them felt bad and stayed behind to say they were sorry to be a part of that. They could've done some serious damage if they had put more effort into the game."

Kurt had to concede that point. He'd noticed that some of the action from the Troubletones was half-hearted at best; the ones that had been really into it were Santana, Mercedes, Brittany to a point, and that Sugar girl. He checked Rory one last time and deemed him fit to move. Blaine helped him pack up the first aid kit and they got ready to head to the choir room. By this point though, Zoe had had enough and started crying. She'd been awake and watching what was going on, but her cries made Puck and Finn jump in surprise.

Kurt took her out of the stroller and quickly settled her down in his arms, humming a random tune to calm her further. He tried to put her back twice before giving up and asking Blaine to just push the empty stroller so he could carry her...otherwise they wouldn't get very far.

* * *

The atmosphere in the choir room was subdued at best. Tina had obviously been crying and Mike was doing his best to comfort her. Finn approached Rachel, who appeared to still be in shock. Quinn was sitting with Artie, while Sam attempted to fix his wheelchair. Puck and Rory grabbed a pair of chairs and sat down by the others, breaking the quiet as the others noticed their return.

Quinn was the first to speak up. "Rory are you alright?"

"I guess. Kurt and Blaine took care of me in the bathroom, before they tag teamed Puck and Finn and did the same to them."

Puck winced at the thought, "Yeah sorry Artie - I think your chair collided with my side."

"Explains the bent handle brake," said Sam, as he tried to reshape it with his hands.

Blaine and Kurt sat on the piano bench, with Kurt still trying to get Zoe calmed down. He pulled out a bottle and as she finally settled in his arms, Kurt sighed and looked around the room. He knew it was probably not the time to ask, but he wanted to know whose bright idea this was in the first place.

"I'm afraid to ask this, but - dodgeball game? Really? And an unsanctioned one at that?"

Finn flinched, but looked at his brother. "Kinda my fault. Santana and I were arguing in the hallway and I just kinda went with it…didn't really give these guys a chance to say yes or no to it."

"Personally I was hoping we'd kick their asses and offer them to come back...didn't work out that well, obviously," said Puck.

"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" asked Tina.

"Compete against them at Sectionals, I guess. What else can we do?" asked Mike.

"You could forfeit and save yourselves the hassle of losing." Everyone turned to see Santana smirking in the doorway. "If you couldn't beat a bunch of girls in a dodgeball game, what hope do you have of beating us at Sectionals?"

"That's it!" Finn jumped up, though Rachel tried to pull him back. "What is wrong with you Santana? It's like you have some crazy agenda to hurt us as much as possible. Aren't we supposed to be friends? You've been a complete bitch since the start of the year."

Santana scoffed, "When we were ever friends, Hudson? And it's none of your business. I thought you of all people were aware of how bitchy I can be."

"Then explain to me why you slapped me yesterday! What did I do to you to earn that?" Kurt had been trying to block the fight out, but when he heard that, his head snapped up. He passed Zoe to Blaine, who was staying out of the verbal match, before he stood up.

"What do you mean she slapped you? You told me you got hit during football practice!" Kurt and Finn had talked on Skype the night before. No one seemed willing to answer, at least until Rachel spoke up.

"The Troubletones were performing their mash-up yesterday, and at the end of it, Santana flipped out at Finn and slapped him. We don't know why, though. She yelled something about Finn saying crap about her to me, when he was complimenting on how awesome they sounded."

Kurt was well aware that Santana was a bitch - everyone knew she was - but for her to physically do something about it meant there was something else going on. All of a sudden, he remembered his unexpected phone call with Brittany last night. She'd mentioned that Santana had finally come out to her parents and they didn't care, even commenting on how they'd been suspecting it for a while. But what would have made Santana finally say something about it? And what was Finn's part in all of this?

"Santana, what happened? Brittany already told me that your parents are cool with you two going out. What did Finn do?"

"The one time _he_," pointing at Finn, "comes up with a decent comeback, Jewfro decides to post it online so that everyone in school can see it."

"Everyone in school knows that you and Brittany are together, so what?" asked Finn. "You make it sound like it's some big deal, and it's not."

"Abuela found out through one of her neighbor's grandkids and essentially disowned me. I didn't even get to tell her when I went to see her last night; she didn't even let me in her house. She wouldn't have found out if it wasn't for you."

Blaine, along with everyone else, didn't know what to do. In Blaine's opinion, it was as much Santana's fault as it was Finn's. If she hadn't antagonized him so much, he wouldn't have said anything - at least in regards to outing her - in public. That didn't excuse him from any blame though, and Blaine was interested to see Kurt's reaction to the situation.

Kurt had explained to him a while ago about his and Finn's relationship. They'd had a very rocky start, what with Kurt crushing on Finn, who at the time was one of the only jocks that didn't physically hurt him. He'd also heard - from Finn's point of view at that - about the first time that they were supposed to share a bedroom, and Finn had expressed his regret over how he had handled the situation. They did eventually talk everything out, and now the two acted as if they'd been brothers for longer than a year.

Despite that, Blaine was also aware of Kurt's feelings in regards to people deciding on how they perceived themselves. Kurt had said on more than one occasion, that as long as you were at peace with yourself and didn't try to push too hard on other people's ideals, that he didn't care who or what you believed in, and what kind of person you loved. He did not, however, agree with anyone telling you what to be, nor did he like it when others take that choice away from them.

Kurt was ready to go at it with Finn because no matter what problems these two had, outing someone is not a way to score points. The urge died out though, as Finn was staring in shock and regret; he'd had no idea that this would happen, but it wasn't fair for her to say it was his entire fault that her grandmother had found out. He learned the hard way with Kurt on how to deal with another person's feelings about themselves.

"Santana - I know I never should have brought it up in the middle of the hallway, but did you expect me to just sit back and take your crap forever? I'm sorry that your grandma won't talk to you right now, but you're as much to blame as me. We've never cared whether you were with Britt or if you were sleeping with guys. All I can say is I'm sorry."

Finn took a moment to take a breath. "I know I can't convince you to come back, at least right now, but just remember that we're here for you, Auntie Snixx included." That got the barest of smiles. "That goes for the rest of the Troubletones as well. We need you."

Santana shook her head and laughed, "We'll see about that Frankenteen. Maybe you'll need us after you lose Sectionals. Remember: only one group can win." Without acknowledging anyone else in the room, Santana left.

The room grew quiet once again, no one knowing how to handle the situation. Any chance of practice had been thrown out the window, so everyone grabbed their things and slowly made their way out of the choir room. Finn walked out with Kurt, Blaine, and Zoe to the parking lot, each with their own thoughts. Kurt spoke up once they were on the way home.

"Well, that was not how I thought this day was going to turn out."

"What did she mean 'only one group can win', Finn?" asked Blaine.

"The word is that we only need one glee club at school, so whoever wins at Sectionals gets to stay. The other group will be disbanded."

"Well then, there's only one thing to do," said Blaine.

Finn looked at him confused, "And that is…"

"Beat the Troubletones," said Blaine. "Hopefully they'll come around and you guys can become one big happy family again."

"I don't know, dude. They're pretty good."

"New Directions is better. Pick some songs, learn some choreography, and kick some ass. That's the only way those girls will see sense. Then do what you just did and be the bigger person and give them the offer to re-join."

"And it's not like it's hard for you to be the bigger person, Finn. You're already so tall."

"I'm not that tall. You're just that short."

"I'm not _that_ short."

"Yeah, dude, you are."

Before Blaine had a chance to respond, Kurt spoke up. "Do **not** make me pull this car over and make you two walk home."

"Sorry Kurt."

"Sorry bro."


	20. The Tale of Two Families

**Hello one and all! Welcome to Chapter 20! This one is a little shorter than most; it's an interlude of sorts. It's been a while since any of the Karofsky family has been mentioned (technically since the real chapter 1) so that means it's time for a rewind. But never fear: I'm off for the next two days – insert happy dance – and the next chapter is already half done. That means September will be the month of 3 updates!**

**Quick shout-outs to those of you that have favorited this or are watching from the shadows, but especially to:**

Sarahamanda **who's reviewed just about every chapter so far – thank you!**

LvSammy** I loved your enthusiastic review :)**

**The combined review count stands at 87. Remember: at 100, the second chapter of 'Pink, Blue or Purple' will be posted. If you haven't checked it out yet, what are you waiting for?**

**Disclaimer: Seriously? If I owned Glee, Season 3 would have had more continuity.**

**Minor trigger warning: I do use the 'f-' word once, and reference the rape again, but as before, nothing graphic.**

**Not quite sure where to put the placement of this…but that's why I'm calling it an interlude.**

_**The Tale of Two Families**_

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a young man named Paul Karofsky. He was born and raised in a small town just outside of Columbus, Ohio. When he was fourteen, he and his parents moved to Lima, where he quickly made friends, joined the football team, and met his high school sweetheart, Jean. By the time he was in his mid-twenties, he was happily married with a son, had a good job, and a nice house.

Paul had met Burt Hummel on his first day at McKinley High. They became good friends and teammates and told each other everything. Burt also met his future wife at school, marrying quickly when they graduated, and eventually had a son they both loved very much. It was an awesome bonus that both couples bought homes that just happened to be located a block apart. At the time, it seemed like these two small families were destined to be near each other for a long time, and for a while everyone got along.

Destiny had cruel things in mind, though none would expect what would happen in the years to come.

* * *

Jean had been one of the first people to notice that Kurt wasn't like other little boys. At first, she ignored the fact that he was more attached to his mother than his father, and that was only because Kurt was almost a full year younger than her David. She remembered the hard time Elizabeth had while pregnant with Kurt. It was only natural for him to be a bit of a 'mama's boy'.

She ignored the fact that Kurt didn't like to get messy, as she had seen the frequent bouts of illness that Kurt was often afflicted with. She attributed his dislike to dirt was a direct correlation to germs; if he didn't keep himself clean, he'd get sick, and what kid enjoyed being sick?

She even let Kurt's little quirks go, like the tea parties and the bowties. She figured that with Burt out of the house most of the day, and only Elizabeth for company, it was normal for a little boy to do some girly things. David had tried her shoes on once and declared that heels were stupid and he never tried them on again.

When the boys started school – David had missed the cutoff date for kindergarten so he started at the same time as Kurt – Elizabeth and herself walked their kids to school and picked them up. They had play dates and watched Disney movies when it was cold outside. Burt and Paul hung out every now and then, and once in a while, they watched the boys and tried to teach them how to play sports. It was your typical, normal small-town kind of life.

When Elizabeth died, Paul did what he could to help Burt out. He helped with the funeral arrangements and made sure the Hummels ate the food that Jean had sent over. He had David keep an eye on Kurt and had explained to him that it was okay for boys to cry, and to do his best if Kurt got a little sad. As time went on, however, the Karofskys and the Hummels started to drift from each other, which would prove to be a horrible mistake in the future.

* * *

Jean noticed when David began middle school, that Kurt was not _normal_. Elizabeth had been gone a few years by then, so she wasn't about to say it had anything to do with that. As far as Jean was concerned, little boy or not, you had to get over a tragic death at some point, and 'man up'. The world was a harsh place to be, and acting unlike your gender was a clear sign that something wasn't right. It was okay to a point when you are five, but at this age, enough was enough.

Paul would admit that he was a bit of a bully in school, but he did more damage verbally, since it was less likely that you'd get caught doing it; that, and it didn't leave physical marks. As he got older, though, he realized that high school was different from the real world, and alienating people for things they couldn't control, was not the way to go. He too had noticed a thing or two about Kurt's behavior, but the kid still had plenty of time to find himself.

He wouldn't realize until it was too late that his _loving_ wife had already begun to poison their son's mind.

Dave – because he didn't want to be called David anymore – had latched onto his mother's opinions, not knowing that he was free to make his own. Jean had warned her son not to become a 'fairy' or a 'fag' like Kurt was. Dave, of course, didn't understand at first. Jean explained that dressing and acting a certain way was not acceptable in their household, and she would not tolerate it. In an effort to please her, Dave began to reevaluate his friendship with Kurt.

By the time eighth grade was underway, Kurt Hummel and Dave Karofsky were no longer the best friends they once were.

Paul and Burt only saw each other at school functions or when Paul's car needed fixing. Both missed the good old days, but felt that it was too late to salvage much of their previous relationship. When Jean was factored in, any hope of being best friends again was decreased that much more, and the newfound hostility of Dave towards Kurt obviously did little to help.

* * *

Everything changed one day during the boys' junior year of high school, resulting in a domino effect that would impact the lives of two families for a long time.

* * *

Paul had been through a lot in the last year. His son was in jail, he'd divorced his wife, and he was basically on his own. When he'd seen with his own eyes just how much Jean had manipulated Dave, Paul had no desire to stay with her in that house. The day after Dave was arrested - the same day his wife had applauded his horrible actions - Paul had packed up his things and left.

One would think that a man like him would have other family to depend on, but that wasn't the case. What many didn't know about him was the fact that he had been adopted as a child. Now he had nothing against that, but it was private information and he didn't broadcast it. His adopted parents had passed away a few years back, and he'd never met his biological parents. He was an only child in both cases and there weren't any relatives left to contact.

One disadvantage to living in a small town was that everyone knew your business in some way, shape or form. Normally that would've been a problem, but for Paul, it actually helped him when he needed a lawyer. A long time ago, Jean had meant the world to him. As time went by, though, she became a bitter person that Paul no longer recognized as the girl he dated in high school.

He'd had enough of being married to the witch she had become.

Since she had made her opinions of Dave's actions publicly – opinions that Paul in no way endorsed – it was easy to check off the box for "irreconcilable differences". By the time the new year started, he was settled into an apartment, had cut off ties to both Jean and David, and was legally reunited with his birth name - Paul Franklin.

The only thing that bothered him was Kurt Hummel. Burt had been kind enough to tell him when he was released from the hospital and had told him Kurt was being transferred to a new school. He hadn't personally spoken to Kurt since the attack, though he did send him a card wishing him well and apologizing for not noticing his son's behavior. But in Paul's opinion, there wasn't really anything he could do to get rid of the guilt he felt, and no matter how heartfelt the apology was, he wasn't expecting to ever hear from Kurt, and he wouldn't blame him.

That was until Paul received a letter in the mail a week into 2011.

From Kurt.

Paul didn't know whether he should open it or pretend it never came.

Curiosity won out.

When he opened the letter, he was surprised to find that there were no cruel words or threats seeking revenge, yet the more he read, the more he wanted to just throw it away and ignore what was written. He didn't want to believe it, but the attached sonogram printout didn't lie.

He was going to be a grandfather.

'_To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell you about this. Hell_, _we didn't even know it was possible until that day. Dad said that he or Carole could explain it to you if needed, but I thought giving you a copy of your first grandkid's photo would be pretty convincing on its own. _

_'I don't expect you to feel obligated for any reason and I hope you won't be upset, but Dad told me a little about your past. I know what it's like to lose one parent - and almost a second - but I don't know how you've managed losing two sets of parents. It doesn't feel right to keep you from knowing about a new family member. I'm sure I speak for both of us that this is not the way either of us had expected to gain one._

_'I don't have any living grandparents, and though the circumstances suck, I'd like him or her to have as much family as possible. Though now that I think about it, they're gonna have a lot of aunts and uncles…_

_'Anyway - you can keep the photo. You were hurt pretty badly yourself, maybe not physically, but words can hurt a lot more than punches. If it's alright with you, I'd like to keep you up to date on how we're doing. You deserve a little sunshine in your life.'_

When Paul had finished reading that first letter, he didn't know what to feel at first. The shock of becoming a grandfather was overshadowed by the actions that occurred for this to even happen. He was wary of getting too involved because what if Kurt or his family changed their minds about him? Then what would he do - pretend that the whole thing was a horrible joke?

Paul did respond back to Kurt with a simple message, stating that he would be grateful for any news, or pictures. Lucky for him, Kurt - and by extension, his family - didn't change their minds about keeping him in the loop. Kurt sent him a new picture every few weeks, and he had run into Burt and Carole several times since then.

* * *

Paul had certainly been expecting his granddaughter - he'd been ecstatic to hear it was a girl - to be born early, especially after Burt had shown him a recent picture of Kurt. Paul had apologized in his next letter for passing on his 'big-boned genes'. When Kurt's due date came and went, Paul had been concerned when he hadn't heard from anyone about the new baby. A quick call to Carole gave him an answer, and he felt really bad to hear that Kurt was still pregnant.

It was another week and a half before he was gifted with his new favorite picture, via text.

Burt had later called and given him a brief outline of the events surrounding Zoe's arrival, and promised that once things had settled down, Kurt wanted Paul to come over and meet Zoe. His first reaction was 'no', as he hadn't seen Kurt in person in months; they'd been relying on letters and short phone calls. However, the urge to see his granddaughter was stronger.

Three days later found Paul standing outside of the Hummels' house, trying to pluck up the courage to knock on the door. He was nervous as hell, and kept imagining what would happen when the door opened. Best case scenario meant he got to meet his granddaughter.

Worse care scenario: he would be taken hostage and shot.

Okay, so that was a ridiculous stretch, but could you blame him?

Somehow he'd knocked on the door, and the next thing he knew, he was staring at Burt Hummel, and trying to find a way out.

* * *

"I didn't peg you to be so nervous, Paul."

"I'm still trying to convince myself that this isn't a dream, Burt. I almost didn't get this far - I'd turned around twice on my way over here."

Burt laughed at him and assured him that he had nothing to worry about; nobody was about to do anything to him. "Relax, Paul. Come on in." Paul entered the house slowly, hesitant and wary. No one was in the living room, though he could hear movement coming from upstairs.

"The boys will be down in a minute. Just to warn you, Blaine has been really protective of Kurt and Zoe, and Kurt still isn't 100% back to full strength yet."

Paul looked worried at that, "Is he alright? I'm amazed that they were released as early as they were, especially after you telling me about how everything went."

Burt gestured for Paul to have a seat. "Honestly, I thought it was too soon as well, but the fact that both Kurt and Zoe were doing so well meant that there wasn't a good reason to keep them in the hospital any longer than the barely two days they were there. He's still a little sore and tired, but Zoe has been the perfect baby."

"How so? Most parents say that, but don't always mean it."

"She's not really a crier, but if she wants something she makes sure you know it. She doesn't sleep through the night, obviously, but when someone checks on her, she quiets down pretty quickly. Blaine and Finn have been taking turns keeping an ear out at night so that Kurt can sleep. And Zoe gets along with everybody - it's shocking to watch really - though the amount of time she'll let you hold her depends on the person."

Paul chuckled, "I take it some don't have as much luck as others?"

"Exactly. Rachel and Wes - he went to Dalton with the boys - share the record for holding her the shortest amount of time."

Paul tilted his head to the side. "Yeah? How long?"

"A whopping three minutes." Paul and Burt looked up to see Blaine coming down the stairs. "And I can't even tell you which one is more bothered by that."

"Hey buddy," said Burt, "Paul, this is Kurt's boyfriend Blaine."

"It's nice to finally meet you, sir. Kurt's been fretting about introducing you to Zoe all day."

"Paul, please, none of that 'sir' stuff. I've heard quite a lot about you the past few months, and not just from Kurt's letters. Burt and Carole have said plenty as well." Paul looked away from Blaine as he saw Kurt coming down the stairs with Zoe.

"They're you two are. What was the holdup?" asked Burt.

"Someone wanted to be a fussy miss and wouldn't settle until I had her wrapped up just right. Now she's happy as a clam." Kurt saw Paul sitting on the couch and noticed him staring, trying to get a peek at the little girl, but not look too eager. Kurt was surprised to see him so jittery, and figured he was as anxious to meet Zoe as he was to introduce them.

"Hi Paul, I'm glad you came over."

"Thank you for the invite. I must say, though I've enjoyed the pictures you've sent to me, nothing beats the real thing."

"I know the feeling," Kurt said with a smile. "Would you like to hold her?" Paul had barely finished nodding in response before Kurt placed Zoe into his arms. He gave a small gasp as he looked at her, surrendering a finger for her to grab a hold of.

"Kurt, she's gorgeous." Burt, Blaine, and Kurt watched as Paul sat there mesmerized.

"That seems to be the general consensus. She's been dubbed 'gorgeous' and 'adorable' by everyone that's seen her so far. Usually the next comment is about how big she is."

Blaine cut in, "Though if you want to stay on Kurt's good side - don't mention it."

Paul laughed, "Duly noted. Kinda figured that would be a sore spot."

"Well that's one way to put it," murmured Kurt. Blaine smirked and gave him a quick kiss. Kurt sighed and carefully cuddled into Blaine's side.

"How _are_ you feeling, Kurt?" Paul asked. "I have to admit – when Burt told me the story, I almost couldn't believe it."

"I certainly feel a hell of a lot better than I did a few days ago," said Kurt. "I still tire easily, but Blaine and Finn have been awesome. And quite frankly, if we hadn't gone through it, I wouldn't have believed it either. I still don't remember some bits of that night; I've been told that it's better that way."

"I almost wish that I could forget that night; we were really worried for both of you," said Blaine.

"Finn is still a little traumatized. I'm still annoyed that Zoe couldn't wait until we got back from Cincinnati. I mean, really: she was already late. She couldn't wait just one more day?"

Kurt glared at his father. "Speak for yourself. I sure as hell didn't want to wait another day. Although giving birth in the living room isn't something I want to repeat anytime soon. If I ever have to go through that again, I want drugs."

Burt lightly glared at Kurt before sending a harder one at Blaine. "And for all our sakes, I don't want to hear about another baby anytime soon."

Kurt rolled his eyes as Blaine whimpered a little at Burt's glare. "Not that it's any of your business, Dad, but Blaine and I haven't gotten _that_ far yet."

"Yeah," added Blaine, "we're still kinda between first and second base - OW!" Kurt had taken a moment to slap the back of Blaine's head.

"Blaine! Filter, please!" Kurt yelled as he blushed. Burt smirked to himself while Paul just shook his head. He decided to turn his attention back onto Zoe, and was surprised to find her dozing a little in his arms. As Kurt and Blaine were busy messing around on the couch, Burt watched Paul as he smiled at Zoe.

"She really is quite the looker," he said, gaining Paul's attention. "And you can say she's big if you want. Just don't say it when Kurt's in listening distance." The men shared a smile as they watched Kurt try to beat up Blaine, and Blaine making sure Kurt wasn't hurting himself.

Paul couldn't resist asking, "Did she really weigh almost ten pounds? I was really starting to worry when I hadn't heard anything. I know when Jean had David she had to have a cesarean because he was a big baby, but at least he was born on time. I can't imagine giving birth at all, especially naturally with a baby that size." Both of them winced at the thought.

"Yeah, she was over nine and a half pounds. Believe me, hearing that Kurt didn't need stitches was some of the best news I'd ever heard - even Dr. Foster had been amazed. Blaine, Puck, and Finn did an awesome job helping with the delivery. I still feel terrible that I wasn't here, but Kurt keeps telling me to just get over it."

Paul chuckled, "I'd listen to him if I were you. Your son is not someone I'd want to be in trouble with."

"How are you really doing, Paul? I mean, you seem to be doing alright."

Paul thought about how to answer that. "Honestly? Better than I have in quite a while. As terrible as the last year has been, it was probably what I needed in the long run. Jean and I hadn't been doing well as a couple for a long time, and talking to David became impossible once he started high school. Now that I look back, I haven't been happy since he was little."

Burt gave him a sad smile. "Things were better a long time ago, but that doesn't mean they can't get better again. I never thought that I'd get over losing Elizabeth. I never expected that one day I'd be married again to a wonderful woman and gain a second son, let alone a third. And while we agree that the circumstances sucked, there's a baby in the house again. Sometimes we have to go through a lot of bad stuff before something good happens."

"You're a wise man, Burt."

"Do me a favor and spread the word." Paul and Burt stared at each other for a second before they burst into another fit of laughter, finally regaining the attention of Kurt and Blaine.

The couple looked at the adults and then looked at each other. "I think we missed something."

"You think?" Blaine smirked at Kurt's sarcasm and leaned in to whisper into his ear. "Do you want me to distract your dad still?"

"Do you mind? I really think we need a few minutes to talk."

"That's fine. You hungry? We can make some sandwiches."

"Yes, please." Blaine got off of the couch and announced that he was going to make some lunch, and asked if Burt wouldn't mind helping him. Burt seemed to catch on that he needed to leave Kurt and Paul alone, so he too got up and followed Blaine into the kitchen.

Kurt wasn't sure how he wanted to start this particular conversation. It felt odd that he hadn't spoken to this man in person in such a long time. Yes, they have been exchanging letters for months, but the last time they'd _seen_ each other was at the trial, and that hadn't been a good time to chat. Zoe seemed to sense something was up because she had started to nuzzle into Paul, who wasn't sure what that meant.

"Kurt, does her doing this mean something in particular?" Kurt blushed for a moment and cleared his throat.

"That usually means she's hungry. I was hoping she'd wait a little bit longer."

"Why's that?" asked Paul, confused.

"Well...I'm kinda feeding Zoe at the moment, at least for another day or so." It took Paul a second to realize what Kurt meant by that. Once he did, he blushed.

"Oh, well, um...do you want her back then?" At Kurt's nod Paul stood up and passed Zoe back to Kurt, who settled and started to nuzzle into his chest. Kurt sighed in relief when she settled for sucking on his finger for the moment.

"Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable. I didn't think I'd actually be able to do this when Matt first mentioned it."

"I'm sorry if _I'm_ making _you_ uncomfortable. When you first told me about Zoe, I did look up some stuff about the carrier gene - I didn't know what to think - and I was surprised at how much of a male pregnancy is similar to a female one. So you _can_ feed her?"

"Well, you know how at first it's not really milk but it's really important that the baby gets it? Apparently males can produce _that_, but not much else afterwards. Odd if you ask me. She'll be drinking formula from a bottle all the time within the next day or two. I just don't do it in front of anyone else...except for Blaine."

Paul smiled at that. "That's understandable, Kurt. I'd be a little unnerved with it myself if I had an audience." They both lapsed into silence for a minute or two before Kurt spoke up again.

"Are you going to stick around, be a grandfather to Zoe?" Paul wasn't sure how to answer that. He'd been wondering if now that the baby was here, whether he'd be allowed to see her. If he was in Kurt's position, he'd be wary of any family associated with his rapist. Now that he'd met her and held her, Paul would do whatever was necessary to be able to see her again.

"If you'll let me," he finally said. "I'd get it if you're doing this out of some feeling of duty, but I'd love to be a part of her life. I know you've told me before that this wasn't my fault, but that doesn't stop me from feeling guilty that there could've been a way to stop what happened."

"I'll admit that at first I wanted nothing to do with you, but when I heard how you didn't come to his defense, and that you were completely against what your wife was doing...I couldn't just not tell you anything. I found out I was pregnant before Christmas but it still took me two weeks to send you that first letter; I didn't know what to say, or how to say it.

"Dad had told me that you'd left your wife and that you'd been asking how I was doing. That proved your innocence to me. I figured that if I never heard from you again that either you really didn't care, or that it was too soon to try to repair our relationship. You took care of me when I was a little kid, and you were there for Dad when it counted after Mom died.

"You care a great deal about people - why wouldn't I want someone like you in Zoe's life?" Kurt had no idea he was going to say all of that, but it was the truth. He didn't blame Paul for what happened, and he did want him to keep in touch. He wasn't going to deny him access to his granddaughter; that was a punishment he didn't deserve.

"You know," Paul started. "I said to Burt earlier he was a wise man, and he is. I just didn't realize he had such a smart son. I guess it runs in the family." He gave Kurt a sad smile. "Do you forgive me for how David turned out? I know you said that I need to move on, but maybe hearing you say it will finally get my head and my heart to agree on the subject."

Kurt reached out to Paul and grabbed his hand. "Look at me. There is nothing to forgive. I've moved on, and hopefully soon, you'll do the same. Like I said in that first letter: both of us were hurt. Though the injuries may have been different, the impact was the same. Zoe isn't going anywhere. We'll still be here and I expect you to come over and spend time with her, and I don't just mean on holidays and special occasions. As far as I'm concerned, the two of us," motioning between Paul and himself, "we're good."

Paul laughed and tightened his grip on Kurt's hand. "Thank you, Kurt. Zoe is very lucky to have you as her, what, Daddy, Papa?"

"Mama, actually." At Paul cocked his head to the side, Kurt rolled his eyes. "I know, I know. Long story, I'll tell you about it over lunch. Go in the kitchen with Dad and Blaine, and I'll be there in a few minutes. I'm gonna feed Zoe first and put her down for a nap. I won't be long."

Kurt went upstairs to do as he said, leaving Paul to gather his thoughts. He was in a small state of shock, but shook his head and smiled in relief. Kurt and his family weren't going to kick him to the curb, and he would still get to see his granddaughter. With a smile on his face and a new spring to his step, Paul got up and entered the kitchen for lunch, only to find Burt sitting at the table.

"Wasn't Blaine in here with you?"

"He ran upstairs to check on Kurt and Zoe. I take it you and Kurt had a good talk?"

"One that was long overdue, but very much needed." Burt smiled and was happy to see the friend he'd been missing for almost a decade back to his old self.

_It's about damn time,_ he thought.


	21. Thoughtful Conversations

**September is turning into a month of updates! This is the third update this month, which is pretty freakin' awesome. Stay tuned for some Blaine/Nick bonding; Kurt/Jeff fluffiness; Klaine loving; and Niff cuteness.**

**Still don't own Glee. I also don't own the movies or songs mentioned in this chapter.**

**This is a two-parter, which will be continued in the next installment, and takes place just before winter break of 2011, just a little while after**_** Bad Things Happen in Threes.**_** And just as an FYI – I don't think this story is going to be much longer, since I want to start focusing on **_Pink, Blue or Purple._

**Enjoy, and don't forget to R&R! Thanks to all of you that are following this, and special thanks goes out to those that have reviewed and favorited. It means a lot to me.**

_**Thoughtful Conversations…**_

* * *

For the new students, December was referred to as the best and worst month of the semester. Best, because they only had three weeks of class; worst, because half of that time was spent dealing with end-of-the- semester exams, which were taken very seriously - especially if you were a senior filling out college applications.

Kurt had almost panicked when he recalled how the exam schedule worked. Instead of just attending your class like usual, each day of the week was split into three hour blocks to accommodate for what was considered a 'proper exam'. Somewhat lucky for him, since he had only been at Dalton for a few weeks the year before, he missed out on most of the chaos.

Last year, they had gone in order of the class schedule. Day 1 was for the first class of the day, Day 2 was the second, etc. This year, they wanted to try a different tactic. Instead, each day was for a particular subject, so Day 1 was Math, Day 2 was Science, and so on. It was determined that keeping everyone in similar mindset could maybe help relieve the tension - and some disagreements - that had occurred the last few years.

Kurt, Sebastian, and most of the new students had no idea what sort of disagreements could result from the old schedule. David and Nick had told them of the stories they'd heard back when they were freshmen. Apparently study groups used to be set up and formed in various locations on campus, so people in different grades and courses could help each other out. Well, one year there had been some 'issues' and commotion had reigned for two days.

Another problem was the flaw in the design of the school. Dalton had hallways that were designated by subject, but they all met up at major intersections, for lack of a better explanation. Since each day was devoted to a different class period, there was constantly people coming and going all over the building. Last year there had been a few teachers that had let classes out early, which unintentionally disturbed classes that were still testing.

So it was decided this year to try something different.

* * *

Each subject would meet in the cafeteria or gymnasium, instead of their individual classroom, in order to get one entire subject done and over with for the semester. Most students were all for trying it out because change could be good. Some didn't get why, but were going with it anyway. The Warblers had already made plans with each other and friends to organize mass study groups. They were looking forward to just focusing on one subject at a time, instead of rotating through their load of classes.

The only one who had a problem with this idea was Kurt.

He hadn't thought much of it at first, but when they'd been discussing it amongst themselves, Kurt realized that all of them would be testing at the same time. Even though they had different courses between them - algebra/geometry/trig/calculus as a math, for example - each day of the week everyone would be busy with their given class, Kurt included.

Which meant that no one would be free to babysit Zoe.

Blaine hadn't thought about that either until Kurt brought it up the week before finals were to start. Blaine had assumed that some of the younger Warblers could keep an eye on her during their testing time. Kurt pointed out that while they would be testing with the juniors in the gym, the freshmen and sophomores would be testing at the same time in the cafeteria. Dalton was a big school, but there weren't _that_ many students.

And it wasn't like Kurt could ask the New Directions to help since they would be in school too. All of the adults that Kurt normally entrusted Zoe with - Burt, Carole, Paul, Matt, and Neal - had work or their own kids to worry about. All of the teachers would be dealing with finals, and there was no way he'd be allowed to bring her to the testing sessions. He had never expected there would ever be a time when literally everyone he knew would be unavailable.

The only option Kurt could see was requesting an alternate testing period. For the semester, Kurt had only skipped two days of classes because of Zoe - how only two, he had no idea. Otherwise, Kurt had perfect attendance. Kurt was hesitant to do so because while alternate arrangements could be made, it wouldn't be fair on his teachers to have to make separate tests for him. Kurt didn't want to become a hassle but he was quickly running out of ideas.

* * *

Blaine was on his way to pick up Kurt from the last French tutoring session of the semester. He had held onto Zoe earlier because Kurt was anticipating an extended session for those last minute desperate questions for help that he was sure he was going to have. By looking at him, even Blaine would've had a hard time telling that Kurt was anxious about something. Blaine was so busy staring at Kurt, he didn't notice someone else in the room.

"So, you come here often?" Blaine jumped and turned around to see Madame Moreau.

"Madame Moreau? What are you doing here? Kurt's never mentioned seeing you during these sessions."

"Probably because he doesn't know that I do, or rather, when I do." Blaine stared at her for a second and admitted that he was a little confused. Katelyn laughed and explained.

"Since Kurt doesn't actually attend French class, his tutoring counts as his grade. That, and the fact that this helps with his eligibility for financial aid. I check periodically in person to see how he handles the students' questions, and it helps me plan my lessons differently. Last year showed a huge improvement for French over the previous year. I wish I could keep Kurt here."

Blaine hadn't realized that Kurt was that good at teaching. "I had no idea it was going so well. I mean, I know some of the younger Warblers have mentioned how much fun they have, and I have to admit, I've certainly started to pick up a phrase or two...or twenty."

Katelyn laughed. "I'd be shocked if you hadn't. Kurt's able to do something that not every teacher, in any subject, is able to do."

"What's that?"

"Appeal to different types of learners. Foreign languages are learnt by memorization and lots of practice. Kurt does things in a certain way that helps everyone stay on the same page. You know how some teachers only lecture and some like to write across a board and say 'that's it'? Or even the ones that think writing lines is the only way to go? Kurt combines everything so effortlessly that, frankly, I'm a little jealous."

Blaine knew how much this tutoring job meant to Kurt. While he hadn't been to many of the sessions himself, Blaine had attended most of them at the end of the previous school year when Kurt was further along. He'd been to enough of them to notice that Kurt enjoyed them just as much as the boys that showed up. What Blaine often thought was funny was that all of the students that took French came at some point - even if they didn't need any help at all. Apparently, Katelyn had noticed the same thing.

"I actually asked a few of them why they come - it's not mandatory. They said that even though they didn't need help, they liked the atmosphere and decided to take advantage of it. Many of them come and use this time as a study period to get their work done. I can tell when someone came just by looking at their homework."

"How's that?" Blaine asked.

"I don't have any corrections to make," she said with a smile. "Kurt looks over their work and lets them know if there are any errors, but most of the time, he won't flat out say what is incorrect. He gives hints, but it's up to the students to figure out what's wrong...unless they're really struggling. More often than not, that leaves me with some free time from grading."

"I didn't realize it was going so well. I mean, Kurt is always talking about what he wants to do during the sessions, and I've noticed how well he gets on with everyone. He really seems to enjoy it."

"Have either of you decided what you want to do about college; thought of a major yet? Because if not, I may start attempting to convert Kurt to becoming a teacher. He has such talent, and it'd be a shame to waste it."

Blaine watched as Kurt read from the textbook, pausing every now and then to ask for answers from the group. Blaine wasn't sure what anyone was saying - he didn't understand _that _much French - but from Kurt's reaction, everyone was doing well. He was so focused watching, he almost missed Katelyn's next comment.

"In any case, I'm going to be so bored until it's time for the French exams. This new testing schedule is interesting and annoying at the same time."

"Why will you be bored? Don't you still have to make the test up or something?"

"I already finished writing the tests, but the foreign language block isn't until the end of the week. I'm about to offer my services to help moderate some of the exams. I've heard that some of the teachers are taking personal days. Who knows - I might do that."

A light bulb went off for Blaine when Katelyn said that. He looked down at Zoe, who was sitting in her carrier, and then looked back at Katelyn, who was now staring at Blaine in confusion.

"Blaine? Are you alright?"

"Madame Moreau, would be willing to do Kurt and I a favor?"

* * *

Kurt dismissed the group and finished collecting his things, finally noticing his three surprise guests. He made his way over to the trio and for a moment, almost left the room at the cheshire grins on Blaine and Katelyn's faces.

"Okay - out with it. Why on earth are you two grinning like that; it's a little creepy."

"Kurt, Madame Moreau is the answer to our dilemma." Kurt looked at Blaine, wondering where this was going.

"Alright, I'll bite. What dilemma are we talking about?"

"Our 'lack of babysitter during exams' dilemma. Madame Moreau has kindly offered to watch Zoe when we need to sit for our exams. And since you don't have to take hers, you can keep Zoe while I take my Italian exam."

Kurt's jaw dropped. He had been planning on telling Blaine that he was going to talk to Professor Dippet the following day to arrange for alternate testing.

"Wait, what?"

"I was just telling Blaine that I was going to be bored out of my mind waiting for my block, so he asked if I wouldn't mind keeping an eye on Zoe for a few hours while you are testing. I said I would, because, really, who could pass up babysitting a sweetheart like your little girl?"

"You're serious? You don't mind?" Kurt was seriously flabbergasted, while Blaine looked like the cat that ate the canary.

"Really, I don't mind at all. It's been a while since I got to watch Madeline, so you'd be helping me fill my babysitting urge until I see her during break."

Kurt was so happy that he couldn't resist jumping up to hug Katelyn. "Thank you! Thank you! You don't know how much that will help us out. I really didn't want to have to go about getting special accommodations made because that is so unfair to the teachers."

"From what Blaine was telling me, you've run out of options. I admire the fact that you had several back-up plans. But keep in mind, school policy requires us to allow for special circumstances, and with fact that you did everything possible to avoid it shows you're not just trying to get out of exams. Consider that kind of attitude good for brownie points."

Kurt felt some of his anxiety melt away as he realized that he could take his exams with everyone else, and Zoe would be nearby and taken care of. More so now than ever, he was so glad he transferred. Kurt was sure that if he was still at McKinley, they wouldn't be anywhere near as helpful. And as Kurt watched Katelyn tickle Zoe, he knew that the two of them would be fine while he and Blaine were testing.

* * *

Nick was bored and frustrated. Jeff was off somewhere with some of the guys studying, and Nick had had quite enough for one day, thank you very much. He was currently in his dorm, throwing a ball against the wall and counting down the minutes to when his beloved boyfriend would come back. Although if his clock was right, he still had to wait another 86 minutes.

That explained why he was bored. The frustration was about what he was going to get the blond for Christmas. Nick knew he was running out of time, considering the holiday was just under two weeks away, but he was stuck on what to get for Jeff.

Unlike some of the plans the other guys were making for their significant others, Nick wanted to do something different. Most were planning fun time with family and friends, dates to expensive restaurants, or jewelry. None of that was going to be good enough for his Jeff.

For one thing, Jeff was more of a home-cooked meal kind of guy. Sure, he loved their dates but he loved their little romantic dinners more. Jeff wasn't into jewelry, of any kind really, so that was out. The Sterlings had already made a point of sending a letter and package - which had to be intercepted once again - stating that they would be going to the Caribbean for the duration of the break.

That wasn't really a big deal, as Jeff was already spending the break with him and his family. Nick had already made arrangements for Brandon and Robin to come over for a few days, since Jeff hadn't seen his brother and sister-in-law for a while. Nick had told Blaine about it and had said that it was a nice gesture and Jeff would be happy with that.

But Nick still wanted to do something special for Jeff...something completely unexpected.

The best he could come up with was a romantic night for the two of them - dinner, a movie, making out - which was all fine and good, but it wasn't anything amazing. There weren't any movies, books, games, or clothes that Jeff had an eye on, and giving a gift card seemed like taking the easy way out.

Maybe there was something Jeff wanted and he just didn't know about it. He had asked his mom for advice, and though Jeff considered her a mom, even she said that he was better off asking Kurt. Nick knew that Jeff had attached himself to Kurt hard and fast, but it worked well between the two of them. Jeff was by no means a baby, but especially when you spent most of the year at a boarding school, everyone wanted their mom at some point, and his mother obviously didn't care enough.

Nick almost missed catching the ball as it bounced back at his head. _Everyone needs a mom,_ he thought. _Jeff already calls Kurt 'mama', so why don't we make it 'official'?_

Nick shot off of the floor and ran out of the room, intending to find Blaine and asking for his input. If he thought it was a good idea, he'd talk to Kurt and make it happen.

It would be the best Christmas present Jeff would ever get.

* * *

"Nick, remember in health class when they told us that breathing an essential necessity to live? You need to stop jumping up and down so I can understand what the hell you just said."

"But Blaine! It's the best idea ever! And Jeff is gonna love it, and that means I'm gonna love it cause he'll be _so _happy, and I wanted to tell you first and see if you think Kurt would agree with it, so I can ask him if he'd do it, and I don't have a lot of time left 'cause Christmas is just around the corner and -"

Blaine had finally tackled Nick onto his bed, surprising the other teen, who hadn't noticed how lightheaded he'd become since he had ran into the room.

"Okay, we're going to try this again. First things first - don't talk until I tell you to and take a few breaths. You seem to forget that when you get overly excited you are prone to fainting."

"But -"

"Nope, no talking. And no 'I don't faint, I pass out'; they're the same thing. Now, I'm going to let you go, but the minute you get hyper again, I will beat you with a pillow. Is that understood?" Nick nodded, and as promised, Blaine let him go. The twosome sat on the bed against the headboard and Blaine waited until the red in Nick's face faded.

"Now you may talk."

"Sorry, Blaine. I was just hanging in my room because Jeff's off studying somewhere, and I realized that I didn't have a Christmas present for him. I know he'd be content with nice night, just the two of us, but I want to get him something awesome too."

"Well, what did you have in mind? And how does Kurt factor into it?"

"I was talking to my dad earlier and was telling him what my brother and sister want, so my parents get the right new toy. We've made arrangements with Brandon and Robin, so they're going to stop by for a few days to hang out with us - you know how much Jeff misses seeing them all the time."

Blaine nodded, and motioned for him to continue.

"Well, Dad didn't know what to tell me, but then he suggested asking Brandon. Since my siblings talk to me, maybe Jeff did something similar. I'd already talked to Brandon and he didn't have a clue. I was getting ready to hang up, but then Mom got on the phone and said 'maybe you should ask his "mama" if he's mentioned anything; you know how well he and Jeff get along'. And then it hit me."

"What did?" asked Blaine.

"What if Kurt adopted Jeff? They're practically family already, so why not make it kind of 'official'?"

Blaine stared at Nick and had to admit the idea had merit, but he was still a little confused. "How were you planning on going about this, Nick? You do realize that Kurt can't _actually_ adopt Jeff...right?"

"Oh, I know, but I think the meaning behind it would be enough to get the point across. I had to intercept another edible treats package from the Sterlings again. Not only was there those damn cookies, but they had thrown in some candy too, most of which also contain coconut and dark chocolate - and you know how much Jeff hates dark chocolate."

Blaine scoffed, "Sometimes I really wonder what would have happened to Jeff if Brandon wasn't around. He could've been killed a long time ago. Even when Kurt made all of those cookies a couple of months ago, he made sure everything else was baked and packed before he made macaroons. Hell, _Sam _remembered about his allergy and they'd only known each other for barely a year!"

"I know, believe me, I know. This is more of a symbolic thing than anything else. Kurt takes care of Jeff and treats him like a parent should. You and I both know that no one here minds it, and it's not like Jeff calls him 'mama' all the time. But when there's days when he just feels bummed out and can't talk to me about something, Kurt is the first person he goes to - and that's fine. Jeff's told me on more than one occasion that if people could pick their parents with no restrictions, Kurt would be on the top of his list...my parents being the next best thing.

"Remember what happened during movie night before school let out?"

-**_Flashback_-**

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" whined Jeff.

"Because it's Warbler movie night, and we do not skip movie nights," said Nick.

"We do when it involves scary movies."

"_Sweeny Todd_ is not scary."

"He slits people's throats, lets a crazy lady put the body parts into her pies, and inadvertently makes the townspeople cannibals without them noticing," Jeff deadpanned.

"It won't be that bad. Just cuddle when you don't want to see anything. Besides, you like the songs."

Jeff did like the songs; he just wasn't a fan of everything else. And he enjoyed Jonny Depp, just not when he was evil or creepy. If they were watching _Finding Neverland_ or any of the _Pirates_ movies, it would have been fine. Luckily he wasn't the only one that wasn't a huge fan. Kurt, and surprisingly Beatz, were like him; they enjoyed the music, but the plot - not so much.

That night had gone by as expected. Jeff tried to block out most of the movie cuddled into Nick; Beatz was using Trent as a shield for parts of it; and Kurt just so happened to need to use the bathroom at the worst scenes. When the group had split, Jeff wasn't in the mood to go to bed, but didn't have much of a choice, since it was almost curfew.

Jeff woke up with nightmares barely halfway through the night. He was surprised that Beatz hadn't woken up, and he was both grateful and upset about that. He tried to call Nick, but remembered that his phone was more than likely still off. Nick had forgotten to charge it the day before, so had warned Jeff that he would probably forget it was off until morning.

Jeff knew he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep anytime soon, and with the way both Blaine and Nick slept, knocking on their door would get no results either. Then he had a thought - Kurt. Kurt had been telling Jeff the other day that sleeping had become almost impossible, and he was often finding himself sleeping when he could; sometimes he slept better during naps throughout the day. He also slept better with someone nearby, at least according to Blaine.

So Jeff decided to take advantage of that, and hoped that Kurt wouldn't mind. He didn't bother leaving a note because the chances of Beatz waking up before he got back were pretty low. He left his phone charging and grabbed his room key, and slowly made his way out of his room and down the hallway to Kurt's room. He wasn't too surprised to hear a soft 'come in' when he knocked.

He poked his head in the door and noticed that Kurt was awake, reading a book. "Um, hey Kurt...can I come in?" Kurt waved him in. Jeff wasted no time and slipped into Kurt's room, closing the door behind him. He turned around and saw Kurt place his book on the nightstand.

"Hey Jeff. What brings you here at this time of night? Not that I mind; obviously sleeping isn't exactly happening for me either."

"That's kinda why I came here. I remembered you saying that you don't sleep through the night anymore, and Beatz didn't wake up when I did, and Nick won't answer his phone, and neither him nor Blaine will hear me knocking on the door, and - "

"Jeff," Kurt stopped him. "Come over here; I promise I won't bite." Jeff blushed and made his way over to the bed, where Kurt had already pulled the blankets back to let Jeff slide in. It wasn't nearly as awkward as it could've been; Jeff had gotten used to cuddling Kurt around his baby bump. Although it had certainly become more difficult, as he was now eight and a half months pregnant.

"Now let's try this again. I understood the part about the boys being heavy sleepers, and me still being awake, but why are you doing up? Couldn't sleep either?"

"I had a nightmare and I didn't want to try to go back to sleep. I didn't know what to do, so I decided to take a walk and see if you were up and wouldn't mind some company."

"Well I'll never say no to having you for company. I can't get comfortable, and the baby is moving too much tonight, so I gave up and grabbed for whatever book was close by. The book I really wanted was under the bed and I couldn't reach it." Jeff did laugh a little at that, which earned him a light slap and a laugh from Kurt.

"Do you still want the book? I can get it for you."

"No, that's alright." Kurt started carding his hands through Jeff's hair, and was happy to see that he was finally beginning to relax. Kurt had a feeling that Jeff was a bigger non-fan of the movie than he thought.

"_Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around. Nothing's gonna harm you, no sir, not while I'm around. Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays, I'll send 'em howling, I don't care, I got ways."_

"I bet you got ways, Mama," murmured Jeff, "you're the best mom ever."

Kurt chuckled, "We'll see about that when the baby gets here. Go to sleep Jeff, I'm not going anywhere." He picked up from where he left off. "_No one's gonna hurt you, no one's gonna dare. Others can desert you, not to worry, whistle, I'll be there."_ Soon enough both boys were asleep, and stayed that way until morning.

At least until Nick woke them in a panic a few hours later.

_**-End flashback-**_

"You scared the hell out of them when you ran into Kurt's room. I was sure he was going to kick your ass, pregnant or not."

"I was worried about Jeff, and it was his own fault for not leaving a note. Beatz started the whole thing anyway. He woke up to Jeff missing, looked for him and found me when he didn't. Then the two of us looked everywhere and forgot to check Kurt's room. Although they did look pretty cute, all cuddled together. I had no idea the movie bothered him that much."

"Well, Kurt's not the best fan either - why do you think he kept leaving to go to the bathroom?"

Nick rolled his eyes. "Because he was pregnant, duh. Why else would I look into that more? And don't say anything about the intense cuddling you two were doing - you're both as bad as me and Jeff."

Blaine then rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Even before we met Kurt, getting Jeff to open up about his feelings was difficult at best, and my mom is the queen of getting people to open up. I was glad that Jeff had someone to keep an eye on him, considering I was no help."

"They really helped each other, I think. Before Kurt started to get all maternal on Jeff, there was a point when he was convinced that putting Zoe up for adoption was better than keeping her. Mind you, that idea didn't last very long."

"What changed his mind?" asked Nick, "I honestly can't picture how things would be without our mini-Warbler."

"Jeff helped Kurt realize he was good parent material. If he could take care of an emotionally-regressed teenager, a baby shouldn't be that hard. I hope you've noticed by now that your boyfriend turns into a toddler when his parents or his emotions get the best of him."

"Oh, I've noticed, believe me. That's why this crazy idea is gonna be so awesome."

"So how were you going to do this?" asked Blaine.

"There are sites online that show you how to write up legal documents, so I thought just a little something like that, or even a paper that looks realistic would do the trick. We can even have a little party or something too, just the small group of us. I just want Jeff to feel loved."

Blaine was quiet for a moment. "That's really sweet, Nick. Jeff's lucky to have you. But you do know what this means, don't you?"

"What?" asked Nick.

Blaine smirked, "If Jeff is Kurt's son, that basically makes me your father-in-law."

Nick just groaned and pulled a pillow to his face, leaving Blaine to fall off of the bed in laughter.

* * *

Jeff walked into Kurt's room some time later. He'd finished studying and was about to look for Nick when he got a text from Kurt to come over when he was free. He found Kurt playing peek-a-boo with Zoe on the bed.

"Hey Kurt, I got your text message. What's up?"

"I wanted to talk to you for a minute about something." Jeff saw the way Kurt blushed, and wondered what on earth he'd have to ask him.

"Well, I'm free for now. I'm done studying for the day and I haven't gone looking for Nick yet. What did you want to talk about?"

"Sex."

Jeff's jaw dropped, as the blush on Kurt's face deepened further. His own face felt a little warm, but he had to admit he was a little perplexed. Kurt had a _baby_, so it's not like he didn't know what sex entailed.

"How about you put Zoe down for a nap, and then we'll talk." Kurt accepted that and a few minutes later, Zoe was falling asleep on her own.

"Okay, let's try this again. You want to talk about sex?"

"Well, not exactly. I know what sex is and how you 'do it' but the only experience I have, is something I never want to deal with again. I understand if you don't want to talk about this with me, but I know that you and Nick are active - you told me about it right before school started."

Jeff remembered that conversation a little too well. Right before they moved back into Dalton, Nick and Jeff had made love for the first time, and it had been amazing. They'd talked about it for ages and waited until both of them were ready to for something so intimate.

"Jeff?" Jeff had gotten lost in a daydream, and shook his head to clear it. He looked back at Kurt and was surprised to see that the normally confident Mama Bear had become unsure and shy.

"Sorry Kurt. Yes, I remember telling you about it, but why the sudden curiosity?"

"I don't know how to start a conversation about this with Blaine. Most of the time we just make out and kiss like there's no tomorrow. I want to be more intimate with him, and I know he's ready for it, but I'm afraid that I'll disappoint him."

"You never have to worry about disappointing him. In case you haven't noticed, that boy is completely in love with you. Yes, he may very well be ready to go all the way with you, but he's waiting for your okay. He knows, better than the rest of us no doubt, just how hurt you were. No one's first time should happen the way yours did."

"How should I talk to him about it, then? I don't have anyone to really talk to about this. This is not a topic to discuss with the New Directions or any of the other Warblers; I'm not all that comfortable even talking to you about it. No offense."

Jeff waved him off. "The first thing we need to clear up is that there is a difference between sex and making love. What me and Nick, and you and Blaine have - we're strong couples that care a great deal about each other. When Nick and I do it - and it's not like we do it all the time - it's not just sex to us. We take our time and make sure the other is comfortable; we use protection; and we never regret it."

Kurt sat there quietly contemplating what Jeff had just said, and almost missed his last point.

"And not to make it sound like a bad thing, but your first time may not be the best night of your dreams."

"What do you mean?"

Jeff laughed, "Well look at us: Nick and I were virgins, and only had some clue as to what we were doing. It may take a while to both find a good rhythm and make sure that the other isn't hurt too badly."

Kurt's eyes bugged out a little bit. "Does it always hurt?" Because his first time hurt - a lot.

Jeff placed a hand on Kurt's knee, "It's always going to hurt a little at first, but as long as you're prepared right and you take your time, it's the best feeling in the world...and totally worth it.

"You know, the first time I met your dad, he said something to us that meant a lot to me, Blaine too if I recall."

Kurt looked up and asked, "What was that?"

"He offered us an adult ear to listen to, if we ever needed to talk. He spoke to us like we mattered, and for Blaine and I especially, it was something that wasn't ever offered by our parents. When you and Blaine are ready to go all the way, it'll be because you matter to each other and want to share that part of you with the other. Don't just plan to do it one night; let it just naturally happen. That's how Nick and I went about it, and we're closer than ever."

"That actually helps a lot Jeff. Thank you. Any more sage advice?"

"Always have condoms and lube available. If you don't have either, it's just easier to not do it. Communication is highly recommended. Other than that, have a good time." Kurt threw a pillow at his face, keeping in mind to not get too loud with Zoe sleeping nearby.

"Hey! What was that for?" Jeff asked.

"'Have a good time'? You gave a well-thought out and meaningful speech and you had to end it like _that_."

"Hey I've seen Pinocchio - I know not to tell a lie. Can't have my nose grow too much."

"Uh huh…"

* * *

While Zoe was napping, Kurt was thinking over his conversation with Jeff. He'd made a lot of really good points and they had talked a little more before Nick called looking for him. Kurt had been left to his own devices for a little bit, and was dreaming a bit about how to talk to Blaine about it. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice Blaine had returned until he felt the bed dip.

Blaine saw the thoughtful look on Kurt's face as soon as he walked in, and he wondered what his adorable boyfriend was dreaming about. It must have been something good, if the smile on his face was any indication. Blaine put his schoolbag down and climbed on the bed, at first settling next to Kurt. He apparently wasn't happy with that spot as the next thing Kurt knew, Blaine was straddling him and kissing him. Kurt's breath caught and he was surprised at how their gentle kisses could get so fiery, so quickly. Blaine was the first to pull away.

"That was quite the hello," said an out of breath Kurt.

"Well you know me - I like to make an impression," said Blaine. "Nick needed some help with a project, and you had requested a little quiet time for yourself, so I decided to multitask in the meantime." Blaine finished his sentence and gave Kurt another kiss, not as deep as the first one, but still just as passionate. "I missed you."

Kurt giggled, "I can see that. The feeling is mutual, as I missed you too. I was actually having a lovely chat with Jeff just before you got back." Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck and started to play with some of the loose curls.

"Oh yeah? Must've been quite the chat, since you had your deep-thinking face on when I came in. Everything alright?" Blaine saw a flash of hesitation in Kurt's eyes. "You seem worried about something."

Kurt bit his lip as he debated on talking now or waiting til later. He decided to grab the opportunity while he had it. "I needed his opinion about something and I wasn't sure who to talk to about it."

Blaine tilted his head to the side. "Okay, that's not vague at all." Kurt rolled his eyes. "Care to elaborate a bit more for me? Contrary to what Sebastian thinks, I have yet to master telepathy."

"Remember that day that day when Paul came over to meet Zoe, and Dad warned us not to even think about having kids?"

"Yeah..."

"And how you mentioned we hadn't quite hit second base yet?"

"…"

"I want to slide into home plate." Kurt had closed his eyes as he said that, afraid to see Blaine's reaction. After a minute or two passed by, Kurt peeked at Blaine and saw a look of pure shock.

_Oh great, I broke him,_ he thought. _Is he gonna say something or what?_

"Um...Blaine? Honey? Say something...please." Kurt said the magic word, apparently, as Blaine shook his head and looked down at Kurt's expectant face. He was surprised to feel Kurt shaking at first, but he quickly realized that he had yet to answer him.

"Before I answer that," he started, "what brought this on?"

Kurt unhooked his arms from Blaine's neck and gently pushed himself up against the headboard. Blaine followed his lead and got off of Kurt, sitting next to him and pulling Kurt into him. Kurt curled up into Blaine's chest and sighed, knowing that Blaine was patiently waiting for him to figure out what he wanted to say.

"I love you, you know that, right?" started Kurt.

"I love you too, Kurt. I've never doubted that." Blaine was beginning to get nervous.

"You know how our anniversary is coming up?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, I wanted to do something special." Kurt blushed and suddenly Blaine realized where Kurt was going.

"And by special, you mean you wanna…" Blaine's mouth went dry as Kurt hesitantly nodded. "Wow."

Blaine had not been expecting to have this conversation with Kurt any time soon. Yes, he and Kurt had done plenty by now - they have been together for a year - but neither of them had talked about how far they would eventually go; it had just never come up. Blaine had considered that it could be a while before they would become that physical with each other - and he was okay with that. He would never push Kurt into doing anything more than he was ready for. If he was honest with himself, he was freaking out a little bit, too; this was a big deal.

"Kurt, are you sure you're okay with that? This is a big deal for us. We haven't really spoken too much about this."

"Well, usually we're too busy taking our shirts off and kissing." Blaine laughed at the smirk on Kurt's face. "I was talking to Jeff earlier because I needed an outside perspective. He gave me some good advice."

"Oh yeah? What advice was that?"

"He said to talk to you first, see where we stand. Oh, and to let it happen at our own pace."

Blaine smiled. "Jeff's a smart cookie."

Kurt laughed. "Then he said to 'have a good time'."

Blaine buried his face into Kurt's hair. "Oh Jeffrey. So, so close." Kurt smiled and traced a pattern on Blaine's arm. "He certainly meant well. We had a good talk."

"Well," said Blaine, "I'm up for whatever you're up for, whenever you're ready. There's no rush; I hope you know that."

"I do, but that goes both ways." Kurt got quiet for a few moments. "I have a confession to make."

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to have sex with you months ago, but I didn't know how to ask." Blaine's mind momentarily shut down. Just the thought that Kurt _wanted_ to have sex _months_ ago...well, let's just say he was now thinking some very undapper thoughts.

"R-really? That's...unexpected. Um...why did you want to, you know…" Blaine was impressed he said that much clearly.

"Neal had warned me that I might start to have ...urges...at some point of my pregnancy. He told me that hormones are a bitch and that I could ignore those feelings or act on them; it was up to me how I wanted to handle it. I guess I got lucky that I didn't necessarily need to have sex; I'd been afraid of the whole idea for quite some time beforehand -"

"And for good reason."

" - but I did get, for lack of a better word - horny - during my last trimester." Blaine had finally pieced it together.

"That's why are make-out sessions started to heat up, isn't it? I thought it was odd at the time, but I certainly didn't mind." Kurt laughed again.

"Yes, although I have to thank the hormones for that; that's actually how I got the courage to do _other_ things after I had Zoe. Those times you woke me up because you thought I was having nightmares? Not nightmares."

Blaine tilted his head again, "But you were moaning in your sleep and woke up gasping for air - oh. OH!" He blushed as another light bulb went off. "Why didn't you say anything then?"

"I didn't want to sound needy or pushy. Besides, those dreams were enough for me at the time; I could wait."

Both boys sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Blaine thought the whole thing was kind of funny, and decided that that was it. He smirked as he thought of the best way to tell Kurt that he felt they were ready to move to the next step. So he started rocking Kurt in his arms and softly singing.

_"I'll make love to you. Like you want me to. And I'll hold you tight. Baby all through the night."_ Kurt smacked him on the arm.

"What?"

"Really, Blaine?"

"It might be cheesy, but it's true." Blaine sighed. "Only one stipulation: Zoe isn't nearby. It's too early to traumatize our kid with our sexy times."

"Agreed. So what's next then? Jeff suggested that we don't plan a night to do the deed, you know, just let it happen. Considering I'm a little wary of doing anything here at school, and the chances of being home alone are pretty small during break...when would we have the time to do anything?"

"Maybe we shouldn't overthink it. We don't _have_ to do anything like that for our anniversary. Tell you what: if we happen to get one-on-one time whenever, we'll just go with the flow. If we just happen to be making out - " Blaine kissed Kurt's head, " - and we happen to start taking our clothes off, -" an eskimo kiss, " - and we have supplies with us -" another kiss on his cheek, " - and we're both in the mood - " a deep kiss on the lips, " - then we'll do whatever we want."

"Can't argue with a fantastic plan like that."

The boys continued from where they left off earlier. Blaine was once again straddling Kurt's hips and Kurt had his arms wrapped around Blaine's neck. Blaine pressed his body closer, causing Kurt to moan in appreciation, only to have Kurt buck up his hips in retaliation, causing Blaine to moan louder. Just when they were about to lose control over their actions, Zoe started to whine from her place next to the bed. Both boys separated and stared at each other, taking in deep breaths and trying to cool off.

"Damn...she's more effective than a cold shower." Kurt let out a snort at Blaine's comment, before sliding out from underneath Blaine and tending to Zoe. He laughed a little as he stared at their daughter, prompting Blaine to ask what was so funny.

"What did we say the first step of that 'fantastic plan' was?" Kurt walked back to the bed and handed Zoe off to Blaine, who held her against his legs and smiled at her.


	22. Lead to Stressful Situations

**Okay – remember how I said this was gonna be a two-parter? I lied. The party and Kurt and Jeff's present will definitely be in the next chapter. **

**For anyone that's wondering, most of the characters that I've made up are either named after or based on friends and family members. In a little bit, you'll read a scene featuring the younger Warblers, and what happens is based off of something that really happened to my sister last year. You should recognize some of them from earlier in the story. Any you don't know are the unnamed newbies a few chapters back. **

**Here is a quick list of the Warblers as a whole and what year they are:**

**Seniors: Kurt, Blaine, Nick, Jeff, Trent, Thad, David, Beatz**

**Juniors: Sebastian, Rich, Jimmy, Peter, Anthony, Paul **

**Sophomores: Nathan, Mark, Daniel**

**Freshmen: Chris, James, Chris (the way the Chris's are explained is true; it's how my friends and I tell them apart, and the one actually has a gf with the medical issues mentioned)**

**And remember – Nick has two sibs (Kim and Robbie) Jeff has one (Brandon) – Wes graduated.**

**Thanks and cyber cookies go out to all that are reading and following. **

**Special shout-out goes to **miksivad,** who left 2 lovely reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying this and the sequel, but don't worry – the end of this is near but not **_**that**_** near.**

**I believe I've rambled enough for today. And to all of the Glee fans – don't forget your tissues tonight for the dreaded episode and keep the faith. If everything truly does go to hell…there's always fanfiction. **

**Enjoy, and if the mood strikes you, please leave a review. Even a smiley face works for me :-)**

…**Lead to Stressful Situations**

* * *

"You're gonna make the rest of us look bad, Nick. That idea is so damn sweet, that you've doomed the rest of us for Christmas. I hope you're proud of yourself."

Nick rolled his eyes at David's comment. "As a matter of fact, I am quite proud of myself. So does that mean you're going to help me with this or not?"

"Of course I'm helping. Hey, have you told the girls yet? We can't plan a party/pseudo-adoption and not invite them; Michelle would kick my ass. They'll think this is the cutest thing ever."

"I've already spoken to Kim. She's gonna take care of the Crawford girls; Blaine said he'd handle the New Directions. As far as Kurt and Jeff are concerned, we're just planning a party to celebrate the holidays and the temporary freedom from school."

Nick had been telling the other Warblers about his amazing idea, when Beatz realized something. "Hang on a second; I thought Jeff was the only one being surprised. You didn't talk to Kurt about this yet?"

"No. The whole thing is a surprise for the two of them," Nick replied.

"Is that a good idea?" asked Sebastian. "Don't get me wrong - I think this is an amazing idea - but what are the chances that this backfires?"

"Zero," said Blaine and Nick, simultaneously. All of the Warblers were slightly surprised at how confident they were, though Wes just laughed over the webcam. He was talking via Skype and packing, while the boys were scheming. He was already finished for the semester and was heading home from college the following day. He'd seen the way Kurt and Jeff acted over the last few months, and he agreed with Blaine and Nick.

_"Trust me guys, I've caught the two of them in the act a few times when I've called the past few months. I highly doubt either of them would object to this 'adoption'. If one of them is against it, I'll bury Cynthia in the backyard."_

Trent spoke up, "Well, that's good enough for me. If Wes is so confident that he'll finally kill the gavel - which is still considered missing school property, mind you - than that's good enough to convince me."

_"Thanks for the support, Trent. And I plead the fifth about the whereabouts of this 'alleged' missing school property."_

"Doesn't help your case when it is in plain view - just saying," said David. Wes whipped around and moved some books in front of the gavel sitting on his bookshelf, while the rest of the boys snickered.

_"Ha ha. Where are Jeff and Kurt anyway? I know I mentioned to Kurt that I was calling in."_

"The younger Warblers are distracting them for us," said Blaine. "We needed something to keep the two of them occupied so we can all go missing at the same time. They were more than happy to keep them busy for us."

"So what are the specifics?" asked Sebastian. "Where are we having the party? Who's in charge of food? Decorations? Drinks? _Drinks?_"

"Why'd you say 'drinks' twice?" asked Thad.

"The second one was for alcohol. I didn't know whether or not we're going to be having any."

"We can pretend it's our long-overdue summer party. Since Wes has volunteered his house again, there can be some, but no one can get drunk. With the younger siblings coming, it would be better not to overdo it anyway."

"Overdue summer party?" asked Sebastian. "I thought Zoe was born during it."

_"Well, we had to reschedule the party twice, and then we ended up having it in Lima anyway,"_ said Wes. _"When we were going to have it at first, we were having a pool party at my house; Kurt was leery at us all drinking and swimming, so we weren't going to drink. Kurt eventually started to change his mind, as he felt bad that we had to keep changing our plans to accommodate him."_

"Hey, imagine being 41 weeks pregnant, when you were initially told you'd deliver by 35. If I had been in Kurt's place, I would've cracked a long time beforehand. The fun summer party we'd planned turned into a stressful, scary night from hell. We hadn't anticipated being on our own like that, and within a few hours, we were stuck with no power, a nasty storm, and a new baby to worry about. I wished we _had_ been drinking that night; maybe it would've been slightly less traumatic for some of us," said Nick.

Blaine winced, "His mama bear tendencies started way before Zoe was born. Although to be fair, we're all still underage and shouldn't be drinking in the first place. The New Directions in particular, do not have a good record with excessive drinking. Cooper and Brandon said that they'll get some stuff for us, but they've already decided to be in charge of distribution. They'll be making sure that no one drinks too much."

"How's that going to help, exactly?" asked Thad.

"If one person gets drunk, EVERY parent will be getting a phone call. So it's either watch yourself, or be grounded for the duration of break and have everyone kick your ass - that includes the kids kicking your ass."

"Sounds like a decent threat. I approve," agreed Sebastian. "What kids are coming anyway?"

"Sam is bringing Stevie and Stacey; Puck is bringing Sarah; and I'll have Kim and Robbie to worry about. So when I say kids, I'm not talking about the babies. Blaine's already talked to Carole about babysitting Zoe, and she said that she and Burt would be happy to watch her. Oh, and Becky, Danielle and Marcia will be getting details from Kim; they're on their way back from school too."

_"My parents already agreed to allow alcohol, as long as Cooper and Brandon are there to chaperone, and we have plenty of room to recreate camp if people need to stay the night."_

"Camp?" asked Sebastian, who was once again lost in the conversation.

"Remember the part Kurt told you about us setting up a make-shift exam room for him?" Sebastian nodded. "Well, while some of us set that up, the rest were collecting supplies. Since we knew the power was about to go out, it made more sense to keep us in the same room. We pushed the furniture around and covered the floor with sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows. Thus, Camp McDalton was born."

Sebastian snorted, "That is a horrible name for a camp."

"Yeah we know," said David. "But it took us hours to come up with that. McDalton was a sad attempt at a compromise."

"If we make a new camp, we need to come up with something better," said Trent.

"Okay, we're getting really off track here," said Nick. "Forget Camp McDalton or whatever name you want to call it. The whole point of all of this is to surprise Jeff and Kurt with a party and show them how much we love and appreciate them."

_"Because let's face it,"_ said Wes, _"those two are the favorites, and if anyone wants to dispute that, you'll have to answer to Cynthia."_

* * *

While the boys were planning the party of the year, Kurt and Jeff were busy trying to get the younger Warblers to take a chill pill. Initially, a few of them had asked for some help studying. However, the scene in they found once they got to the Warbler hall almost made them turn around. Because how often to you see boys yelling at a couch?

Yes, a _couch._

"What on earth is going on in here?!" exclaimed Kurt.

"And why are you yelling at a _couch_?" asked Jeff.

Once the rest of the room realized that the two seniors had shown up, most of the yelling had stopped, though a couple of them were taking turns glaring at both each other and the couch. Kurt pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before beckoning Jimmy to come forward.

"Jimmy, please calmly explain why all of you, distinguished Dalton Academy students, were yelling and fighting like first-graders."

Jimmy shuffled his feet before looking up at Kurt, who'd assumed the motherly 'I'm waiting' stance: one eyebrow raised, arms crossed, and foot tapping. Most of the boys were wondering what had happened. All they were supposed to do was distract Kurt and Jeff for an hour or so, and somehow in the matters of minutes, they were all in trouble.

"Well, we were throwing around ideas about what we were going to with the testing schedule. We were trying to figure out who was at what level in each subject, so we'd be able to get into groups with some of the other students. Everything was going well, but then the Chris's were arguing and the next thing you know, they're trying to destroy the couch."

"And why were you two hell-bent on destroying school property?" asked Kurt, directing that question to Chris and Chris.

If there was one thing Kurt had not anticipated dealing with, it was having two boys named Chris in the group at the same time. He was grateful that James and Jimmy weren't both one or the other. To keep things less confusing, the taller Chris was called Dace, which was his last name; the other Chris was nicknamed Curban, which was just his last name with a 'C' in front of it. The two got along well, which was both a good and bad thing. Times like these - a bad thing.

"He started it -"

"He was trying to steal my phone -"

Right away Kurt put his hand up to stop the onslaught of 'he said, he said'. "Dace, what did you do?"

"I was just trying to keep him in the conversation. Curban was too busy texting his girlfriend to notice what was going on. So I tried to grab it from him."

"Curban, what was so important that Aubrey couldn't wait until later?"

"She had another doctor's appointment today, so I was trying to find out how it went. Dace grabbed for my phone, and the next thing you know, we're wrestling for it. Then it fell into the couch, thus me frantically trying to rip it apart."

Kurt could tell the boy was worried. Chris had a girlfriend named Aubrey. Now, Aubrey was a lovely girl that suffered a lot of issues due to a problem with her heart. She often had to deal with wearing a heart monitor for weeks at a time in between visits to her cardiologist, and Kurt vaguely remembered Chris U. mentioning that she was going in for a checkup.

"Dace, did you know that was why he was preoccupied?" Kurt saw the look of shame on the boy's face, and he barely heard the mumbled 'no' that accompanied it.

Jeff sighed, "So let me get this straight: Curban was texting his sick girlfriend; Dace decided to mess with him; and now we have a cell phone trapped in the couch. Does that cover it?" The boys nodded in response. Jeff looked at Kurt and asked how he wanted to handle this. Both Chris's thought Jeff was asking how to handle punishment for fighting and immediately began protesting. Curban needed his phone back, and Dace wanted to help him.

"You two need to calm down; we'll deal with your punishment later. I need someone to run an errand for me. I need something from my dorm, and some of you need to burn off some excess energy." Kurt missed the quick looks of panic, and Nathan volunteered before Kurt thought about walking back himself. Everyone knew that Blaine was hiding with the rest of the Warblers in his and Kurt's room.

"Thank you Nathan. There's a small sewing kit on my side of the desk. Can you grab that for me please? Blaine's up there with Zoe, so just knock first and he'll give it to you." Nathan nodded and ran out of the room, leaving everyone confused.

"Um, Kurt? How is a sewing kit going to help exactly?" asked Mark, a sophomore.

"Since some of you have obviously not been forewarned, there are certain pieces of furniture around the school that are more of a hazard than they should be. This couch," Kurt pointed out, "is one of the last ones that remain. The cushions do not detach, nor is there a back panel that can come undone. So when you lose a pencil or a gum wrapper to the couch, more often than not, it is never seen again."

Both Chris's paled, for different reasons.

"Now before you pitch a fit I know how to retrieve your lost phone, and I'll put another notice in the suggestion box to get this piece of furniture replaced with another one. I never cared much for it anyway."

Jeff snorted, causing the others to look on in curiosity. "Just because it doesn't cater well to pregnant people, doesn't mean you can hate it so much."

"That gives me plenty of reason. This is the only couch that I needed help EVERY time I sat on it. If it wasn't so damn comfortable I would've stopped after the first time I got stuck. I will be more than happy to cut it up; it's time for a little payback."

James locked eyes with his brother Daniel. While Jeff and Blaine liked to channel the spirit of the Weasley twins, James and Daniel_ were _the Weasley twins, even though they were a year apart in age.

"Are you going to blow it up?"

"We can get firecrackers if you need them."

"No we are not in need of firecrackers," Kurt said firmly. "Do I need to call Courtney and have her come straighten you two terrors out?"

By the look of horror on their faces, the answer was no. Courtney was a teacher's aide at Crawford, and at times, was the only one that could control them. Courtney was a sweetheart, of course, and usually the threat of telling their parents was enough to keep them at bay, though, she could cause a fair amount of mischief on her own.

Nathan returned several minutes later with the sewing kit in hand. Kurt thanked him and walked over to the couch while the rest of the room looked on.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do. I need one of you to call Curban's phone for me, so we can figure out where it is in the couch. Dace, you and Jimmy are then going to tilt the couch so that the phone moves to one of the corners; it doesn't matter which. The rest of you, just stay out of the way please."

Jeff called the phone, and the boys could hear the faint ringtone get louder as Dace and Jimmy angled the couch. Sure enough, the phone rang louder and soon there was a lump in the bottom left corner of the couch. Kurt sat on the floor and pulled out a pair of scissors and cut some of the fabric away. A minute later, and Curban's precious iPhone was lying on the floor.

Curban wasted no time in scooping it up and throwing himself against Kurt in gratitude, just narrowly missing the scissors still in his hand.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" exclaimed a very relieved Chris.

Kurt fell back on the floor, laughing. "You're welcome. Just do me a favor and try not to do that again, okay? Now, go call Aubrey because she's probably wondering why you're ignoring her. I need to finish fixing this." Chris jumped off and ran into the hallway to do just that. Kurt grabbed a needle and stitched up the cut he made. In no time, the couch looked like it hadn't just gone through an emergency surgery.

"Well, that's one crisis averted," said Jeff, as Kurt got off of the floor.

"You're telling me. Now," Kurt turned to face the rest of the boys in the room. "I believe we have some studying to do. Shall we?"

* * *

After several days of testing, there was an audible sigh of relief from students and faculty alike. The Warblers had agreed amongst themselves that there was to be no discussion about the exams once that final bell of the semester rang, and all of them were in various states of exhaustion. The last day had been one of the easiest, as it was for electives. It was also the only day that allowed the students to go to their individual classrooms, where they only had to suffer for two hours of testing in blocks, so that anyone with multiple electives had time to prepare.

Kurt was on his way back to the dorms from Katelyn's office. He had just swapped his Christmas/thank you gift for his daughter, as she had taken care of Zoe all week. While he was walking, he was half-aware of his surroundings, as he was contemplating what Nick and Blaine were up to. Both boys had been sneaking around him and Jeff for the past two weeks and neither of them knew why.

What helped and worried him at the same time, was that it seemed that all of the Warblers were in on it. Not only that, it seemed like Finn and the rest of the New Directions were also a part of, well, whatever diabolical plan their boyfriends had come up with. He hadn't heard from any of the Silvertones lately either, which was odd, since those girls never knew when to stop gossiping.

So did Kurt have a good reason to worry?

Perhaps.

Jeff at first had tried to tell Kurt not to worry about it, as their boyfriends would never do something that they'd disapprove of. Though as the days passed, Kurt noticed a subtle twitch on Jeff's face whenever Nick disappeared with some stupid excuse; Blaine at least was subtle about it, which helped Kurt out - to an extent.

He knew he was stressing too much when his head started to hurt. Kurt had been dealing headaches for as long as he could remember. It was odd that the headaches he had when he was pregnant felt different than any other time he'd had them in the past; those apparently only happened when his hormones were 'f-ed up' - Matt's words, not his. Normal headaches he got from a lack of sleep or just worrying about little things. When he was overstressed, though, he would get borderline migraines.

Right now, it was a borderline migraine.

Though he didn't suffer from chronic migraines, Kurt still got them when the circumstances were just so: that accident as a kid; his mom's death; Burt's heart attack; the whole Karofsky thing; and right now, when he knew something was going on, but no one was saying what.

Zoe knew something was up, as she'd grabbed onto Kurt's anxiety and started crying. Kurt had a sudden urge to throw something against the wall, as a crying baby was certainly not helping. But as soon as that thought came, it went, as he took a deep breath. Zoe was reacting to Kurt - which is what babies do - so the reason she was crying was his fault.

Which was not a comforting thought, nor was it helping him at the moment.

Kurt sighed in frustration and cradled Zoe in his arms. He needed someone to talk to, and his choices were extremely limited. Whatever was going on involved the Warblers, New Directions and Silvertones. That meant Blaine and Nick were out, and talking to Jeff with his current bad mood would not help matters, and he obviously couldn't talk to his brother.

He looked down at Zoe, who had finally calmed down, and just smiled sadly.

"What do you think, baby girl? Do you know what Daddy is planning? Because Mama can't take much more of this secrecy." He kissed her on the forehead and watched as she settled against his chest, curling her hand around one of his fingers. Kurt sat on the bed and leaned on the wall, lost in thought. Kurt reached into his nightstand and took a couple of pills for his headache, hoping them and a quick nap would do him some good.

"At least we don't have to worry about school for a couple of weeks right? You're gonna be so spoiled while we're on break. Your grandparents can't wait to steal you away from me. Having you a weekend at a time isn't long enough for them, and your Uncle Finn is gonna be just as bad. But since you're my daughter, I know you'll love the attention."

Zoe cooed at Kurt and as she calmed down further, Kurt took that as his chance to get comfortable. Soon enough, Zoe was out, with Kurt following soon after.

Neither noticed the door shut on its own.

* * *

Sebastian had been looking for Kurt since the bell had rung. He'd noticed the weary look on his face before they'd split to go to their last exams. He'd also seen the look of tired annoyance on Jeff's face. While Sebastian knew that this party was going to be awesome, he had a feeling that if something wasn't explained soon, everyone would be involved in a double lover's quarrel that wouldn't end well.

Now he loved Klaine and Niff to death, don't get him wrong, but the fact that Blaine and Nick have been scheming for weeks now, have noticeably gotten to their better halves. Jeff was barely talking to Nick at the moment, and Blaine was oblivious to Kurt's depressed state. Sebastian had made this aware to the Warblers, who sadly, had not been paying that much attention either. Once they took notice of Jeff and Kurt's attitudes, they knew that break needed to start sooner rather than later.

Thad and David had cornered Nick and discussed the situation with him. It was decided that Nick would call up Brandon and ask him to get a hold of Jeff. His job was to convince Jeff that Nick was planning a big surprise for him, and that his boyfriend would be back to normal over the weekend. Sebastian was keeping his fingers crossed on that front.

Blaine was somewhere with Trent and Beatz. Sebastian vaguely recalled them mentioning during lunch that they were helping some of the teachers with inventory...or something. Since they were doing that, Sebastian figured he'd talk to Kurt and try to cheer him up in the meantime. He had grown increasingly concerned over the last few days in regards to the countertenor, and now that exams were over, they were no longer a point of concern.

Sebastian caught up to Kurt just as he returned to the dorms with Zoe, but Kurt didn't seem to notice that he was right behind him. He hadn't closed the door all the way either, which was unusual behavior. Sebastian decided to wait in the hall and get an idea of Kurt's mental state before he approached him, as he felt that Kurt didn't necessarily want company at the moment.

He saw how tense Kurt seemed to be, and for the fourth time that day, saw the way Kurt rubbed his temples and wince as if he was in pain. He saw the look of anger on his face when Zoe started crying melt into a look of defeat and sadness. He watched Kurt take some medicine and try to comfort himself as he spoke to Zoe. He waited until the two were asleep to close the door all the way before taking off to look for Blaine.

If there was one thing that bothered Sebastian the most, it was Kurt hurting. He'd done a lot for him in the short time they'd known each other, and seeing him like this was breaking his heart. Even though the party was the following night, something needed to be done today.

* * *

Blaine had just left Signore Franco's classroom when Sebastian found him.

"Hey Seb - " Sebastian didn't let him finish.

"We need to talk." Blaine didn't have a chance to ask why before he was being dragged all the way back to the dorms. Sebastian didn't let go of him until they got to his room. Blaine was confused and worried as he was pushed onto the bed, watching the other boy tugging at his hair and pacing frantically in front of him.

Blaine was afraid to say anything, but after a few minutes, he was unable to stay quiet anymore. "Um, Seb...what's going on? Why are you upset?"

"You need to tell Kurt about the party. This can't wait until tomorrow night. He needs to know that there's nothing funny or bad going on. If you saw the look on his face…"

"Sebastian," Blaine said as he stood up, "you need to help me out because I'm starting to freak out a little here. What's wrong with Kurt?"

"Have you noticed how withdrawn he's been the last few days? Quiet? Depressed? I think, he thinks, that we're all plotting against him."

"We kinda are -"

"No! He thinks something's wrong and he has nobody to talk to. Jeff's just as bad - have you not noticed the looks he's been throwing at us lately? We need to do something before any of you break up because I will not stand for that to happen."

"Now hang on, Seb - no one is breaking up!" Blaine exclaimed.

"But they don't know that! Jeff isn't speaking to Nick, and Kurt hasn't been himself for the past week! If he was a real actor, he could easily snag an award - he is way too good at putting on a mask and pretending everything is okay."

Blaine bit his lip. He knew better than most just how good Kurt was at hiding. He'd noticed that Kurt's smiles were half-hearted at best; his eyes weren't as bright as they should be; and though he hadn't been able to catch him in the act, Blaine had noticed the tired, bloodshot eyes.

"What happened, Sebastian? Obviously you heard or saw something that's cause for concern."

As Sebastian explained what he saw not long ago, Blaine's heart began to hurt for his boyfriend. He'd been so worried about the surprise/party and exams that he had not noticed Kurt's perception of events.

"And more than likely he feels alone," Sebastian finished.

"I really didn't take into account just how many of us were involved. Of course he can't talk to anyone in any of our glee groups; I'm amazed neither Kurt nor Jeff have heard about our plans."

"And not to make you feel worse, but I'm not sure just talking to him is going to help at the moment. He'll think something's up if all of a sudden you're talking to him like there's nothing going on. We need an outsider to talk to him and convince him that everything's fine. Nick is going to have Jeff's brother give him a call - Brandon won't give the surprise away."

"Well, we can't have Finn talk to Kurt; that's not gonna work out." Blaine thought for a minute. "What about Burt? If there's anyone that Kurt will listen to, it's his dad. I'll call him and explain what's going on, and he can talk to Kurt. It won't be weird if he just calls to say hi, and he normally calls before we leave to come home anyway."

"Why does he do that?"

"Usually it's to let him know when to expect us for dinner, or a traffic report. There have been a few times that we've had to take the back roads home because of an accident on the highway. It takes longer, but we save on idling time and gas by doing that."

"I think that'll work." Sebastian looked at the clock. "We have almost three hours until we're kicked out, so why don't you call Burt and I'll check on Jeff and Nick. I have to call my parents anyway to see when they'll be home; I'm supposed to be picking up dinner on the way. Let me know how it goes."

"I will," he replied. Blaine had his cell phone out and was calling Burt before he had entered the hallway. Burt and Carole were aware of the party, though it had taken a long time for him and Nick to explain about the surprise, and once Burt realized the problem, agreed with Blaine to talk to Kurt. Burt was still at work for another hour, so he promised to call then. In the meantime, Blaine was going to check on Nick and Jeff.

* * *

"But Dad, why can't you tell me what is going on? I'm going out of my mind here."

_"Kurt, if it was bad would I be on board with what you're calling a _'diabolical plot'_? And it's a surprise, which means I've been sworn to secrecy. Trust me kid - if this was in any way gonna hurt you, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now, as I would have killed it a long time ago."_

"Exactly how many of you are in on it?"

_"Pretty much everyone is. I've spoken to Blaine and I'm allowed to give you a hint, and only one hint. He's hoping that'll relieve some stress - and that headache."_

"How did you know I have a headache?"

_"You just told me."_ Kurt groaned. _"You get bad headaches when you're stressed, and if you weren't stressed right now, then I'd be worried that something was wrong. Now, do you want that hint?"_

"Please. I'll take what I can get."

_"It's a school's out for now/early Christmas party happening tomorrow night. Blaine and Nick are the ringleaders and all of your friends will be there to have a good time. The reason you don't know about it is because those two have something planned for you and Jeff. I'm not saying anything else about it."_

Kurt startled at that. "Is _that_ why Jeff wants to cause bodily harm to Nick? He's been in a prissy mood all week, and coming from me, that's saying something."

_"That's being taken care of. By the time you leave to come home, those two should be in a better mood, and I expect you and Blaine to be okay too. I'll know if you're not."_

"Fine. We'll be leaving soon, so see you in a little bit."

_"Alright, just be careful. We're supposed to get some flurries tonight. Call if there's a problem or you're gonna be here late."_

"Okay Dad...and thanks for calling." Kurt hung up and stared at Zoe, who was staring at him with a smile on her face. "Well I guess if Dad's okay with this, I can wait until tomorrow. What do you think Zoe? Think I should listen to Grandpa?" Zoe made a noise and kicked her feet. "I guess that's a yes."

Kurt had his own things set by the door and he was putting the last of Zoe's stuff together when Blaine walked in. Kurt noticed some hesitation and a look of apology on his boyfriend's face. "You can come closer, Blaine. I won't kill you...might hit you with your guitar though."

"I'd deserve it." Blaine walked up to Kurt and was unsure of how to approach him. Kurt took pity on him and met him halfway, wrapping his arms around Blaine and resting his head on the other's shoulder. He figured it was a good move when he heard Blaine's sigh of relief and felt arms wrap around his waist.

"I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention. I hate making you upset. I just wanted to do something amazing for you."

"I forgive you. Dad called and told me that whatever the hell you two idiots are planning is a surprise, but he did tell me that it's a party. Just please tell me someone has said something to Jeff. While I tend to internalize my feelings and can keep them there, Jeff can only contain himself for so long before it boils over."

"Brandon is in on it, and he's in charge of calming Jeff down, at least long enough to get us through til tomorrow. Trust me - you two are gonna love what Nick and I have come up with."

"If you say so. Now you sir," Kurt said, as he pecked Blaine on the lips, "need to get your stuff packed. We need to get a move on because I do not want to be driving in the snow. The fact that both Zoe and I are packed before you should be considered a miracle."

"Yes dear. I'll be ready in ten minutes."

While Kurt watched Blaine pack, Nick and Jeff were having a similar conversation down the hall.

"I don't know if you having my brother call on your behalf was a good move or not on your part. Why couldn't you just tell me what he told me?"

"Would you have listened to me? Given me a chance to explain? I realize I've been a horrible boyfriend the last few days, and I understand that the fact there's good intentions behind it doesn't exactly help all that much. But I also realized that waiting another day probably would've guaranteed me a permanent seat in the dog house...and it gets lonely in there."

Jeff sighed and tugged on Nick's arm, pulling him down to sit next to him on the bed. "Do me a favor? Next time you want to plan a big surprise, try not to forget that you need to distract me so I don't think about it. Kurt and I have felt so out of the loop, and that's not healthy for either of us."

"I promise. Are we okay?"

"For now. Whatever your 'surprise' is, it better be worth all of this hassle. Don't think I won't hesitate to lay the smackdown on you in front of the guys...and the girls."

"Trust me - you two are gonna love what Blaine and I have come up with." Jeff rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Now go pack. Your family is expecting us for dinner so we need to leave soon."

"I am packed...mostly." Jeff smirked at Nick.

"Consider this as a punishment. If I get done packing before you, I'll pack for you, and believe me, you will not like what I may 'forget' to pack."

Nick whined at the threat and quickly made his way across the hall. Jeff had a head start, so there wasn't any time to waste. Jeff laughed as he ran out of the room, calming down when he heard his phone beep with a new message.

_**Blaine apologized and we're good...did Nick talk to you? Are you okay?**_

_**Yeah we're good too, but I'll feel better after tomorrow. **_

_**Ditto. You packed?**_

_**Yep, just waiting for Nick. I threatened to pack for him if he didn't get his ass moving.**_

_**Very nice. See you in a few then?**_

Jeff responded with a quick yes, and was glad to see Nick reentering the room with his stuff. Jeff felt bad and gave Nick a quick 'good job' kiss before he grabbed his stuff and left the dorms for the parking lot, meeting up with Kurt, Blaine and Zoe on the way. While there was still a little tension, the level had dropped dramatically, and everyone could not wait for tomorrow.


	23. The Best Present Ever

**So how is everyone coping with the aftermath and the hiatus? I for one cannot wait until next week because it's been way too long already. If you haven't checked it out yet, I caved in and wrote a one-shot called **_Damn you, iPhone_** which, as stated in the summary, is yet another story about **_that_** episode. So if you like to torture yourself or would like to read it, check it out. It's meant to be just the one chapter, but some people are looking for more, so let me know what you think.**

**I hit a major block halfway through this, and for a good week and a half, nothing happened. It was driving me crazy. Eventually I was able to get some peace from work (oh happy day) and got this done. I actually took out a scene at the end and it'll more than likely show up in the next chapter.**

**Thanks to all of you that have read, reviewed, and favorited, and if this is your first time here – welcome to the party. **Miksivad**: I feel honored to have a spot on your Kindle. When I read that, I started squealing in joy, after I picked my jaw up off the floor of course :-)**

**As a reminder, when we hit 100 reviews, the sequel will get a long awaited Chapter 2. **hint hint****

**Now, I won't make you wait any longer, and I want to get this posted before Hurricane Sandy hits and I lose power. It goes without saying that if you're in the path for this thing, please stay safe. Also – to those of you in Canada, I hope you came through that earthquake alright and to Hawaii, same to you in regards to the tsunami. Apparently, Mother Nature is mad for some reason and taking it out on us again.**

_**The Best Present Ever**_

* * *

Their timing couldn't have been better, as the flurries started to fall when they pulled into the driveway. Zoe was staring out the window, fascinated to see something new, while Blaine had started bouncing in his seat. Kurt rolled his eyes as he stepped out of the car, shivering at the cold temperature.

Kurt was not on friendly terms with winter...or summer for that matter. Winter was too damn cold for him, and it always had been. He was not one of those people who were natural furnaces. While it had been a running joke for as long as he could remember, Kurt took full advantage of being able to wear layers this time of year. Summer wasn't much better, as no amount of sunscreen could protect his pale skin some days, which is why he liked to avoid the outdoors.

Blaine, on the other hand, was always warm and loved the snow - thus, the reason for the bouncing. He'd already told Kurt that as soon as there was snow on the ground, he was bringing Zoe outside to get her first taste of it, though Kurt wasn't sure whether or not Blaine meant that literally.

"Blaine, wait until morning to see if the snow sticks. _Then,_ I'll consider letting you take our daughter outside to experience this white hell."

"Oh come on, Kurt. Snow is awesome to play in."

"I don't dispute that, and I'll admit a winter wonderland is a sight I enjoy seeing. What I don't like is shoveling it and driving in it...or standing outside with a baby and a hyper puppy of a boyfriend when the rest of the family is waiting for us inside a nice, warm house."

Blaine blushed and conceded that Kurt made a few good points. So he abandoned his attempts to catch a snowflake on his tongue and walked back to the car to grab his and Kurt's stuff. Kurt had already gathered up Zoe and her bag and was making his way to the front door, not really in the mood to stay outside for longer than necessary.

Kurt walked inside first, with Blaine following right behind them. They put their stuff down by the front door, as well as Zoe in her carrier, Kurt calling out to see where everyone was.

"Hello? Anybody home?" Finn came down the stairs so fast he missed a step and almost fell.

"It's about time you guys got here!" Finn wasted no time and pulled both Kurt and Blaine into quick hugs, before bending down to Zoe's level. He wanted to take advantage of the fact Carole was cooking and Burt was getting cleaned up from work; he wanted first dibs on Zoe before the grandparents took her away from him.

"Can I hold her Kurt? Please? Before Mom and Dad steal her?"

Kurt chuckled and nodded. "Just let me get her changed first; then you can have her...unless you think you can handle it."

Finn's face lit up and he made quick work of getting Zoe free of her carrier and jacket, before he proudly changed her diaper without help. Zoe was certainly in a good mood by now and seemed content to stay put in Finn's arms for the time being. Kurt smiled at his brother's enthusiasm, knowing that he was just Zoe-deprived.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you Zo-bug," Finn said to Zoe, grinning like a fool at her laugh as he tickled her. "And I get to see you every day until we have to go back to school!"

"I was surprised you came downstairs so fast, Finn. I thought you would've been playing a game or something."

"Blaine texted me when you guys were almost here. I wanted to get Zoe first before Mom and Dad start hogging her. I've missed her too; Skype only gets us so far. And if I have to change her diaper in order to do that I will."

Kurt turned to Blaine. "I was wondering who you were texting."

Blaine shrugged. "He asked first, and you know as well as I do that Zoe has been looking for Finn the last few days." Finn's head shot up. "Really? How can you tell?"

"She's old enough to start recognizing people she's most familiar with. I was taking pictures of her with my phone yesterday and I flipped through some of them. I stopped on one of you and told her how excited her Uncle Finn was to see her and she started bouncing."

"Dude that is so awesome!" said Finn. "So you missed me too, huh?" Finn took a moment to really look at her and noticed that she was trying to eat him and that she was drooling...a lot.

"Is she okay? I know babies drool but this seems like a lot and she's working hard to try to eat my knuckle."

"Oh yeah, that's new. She's starting teething, but so far it's not been too bad. She has some fussy fits and she's started grabbing at stuff to gnaw on. If you look in her mouth, you can just make out where there's one or two teeth trying to come in."

Finn took his finger back and looked. Sure enough, there was the barest hint of white on her gums. Zoe started to whine, causing Finn to give up his finger again, not seeming to mind that he was covered in baby drool. Kurt however was not as thrilled. He dug through Zoe's bag and grabbed a cloth and something for Zoe to suck on.

"Zoe has been up to no good lately, and I'm sorry we haven't been home all that much. She has a new trick to show you, by the way. And - "Kurt pulled a small jar out of the bag, "look what else is new. We're starting her on baby food, too."

Finn pouted, "See what happens when you don't come home? I'm missing out on all the cool stuff."

"What cool stuff?" The boys looked up to see Burt standing at the bottom of the stairs. Kurt ran over to give him a hug, and pointed to Zoe.

"Your granddaughter is trying to be a big girl by eating this mush and teething. I promised to show Finn one of her new tricks. Do you wanna see?" Kurt had told Burt about what Zoe had been up to, but he hadn't seen her do it yet.

"Definitely. Let me get Carole first. She won't be happy if she misses out." Burt left the room and returned with Carole, who also knew what Zoe was able to do, just in time to see Finn hand Zoe back to Blaine. Kurt put a blanket on the floor and told Finn to come on the floor as well. Blaine placed Zoe down on her tummy and Finn watched as she pushed herself up.

"Zoe can do pushups?! That is so cool!" The rest of the group laughed at his enthusiasm. Kurt smirked and told Finn to wait and watch what else she could do. Finn did as he was told and soon enough, Zoe had gotten tired of holding herself up. Instead of trying again, she rolled over onto her back and kicked her legs as she let out a little giggle. Finn couldn't contain himself and he snatched Zoe up, placing her in his lap.

"That's it - she's staying here so I can watch her do that all the time." Blaine, Burt, and Carole rolled their eyes and laughed, leaving Kurt to lightly glare at Finn.

"Oh no she isn't. Zoe will be coming back with us to Dalton, thank you very much. No amount of begging and pleading is going to change my mind either."

"Can't blame a guy for trying." Finn then proceeded to teach Zoe how to fist pump.

* * *

Eventually they all made it into the kitchen for dinner. While Zoe could sit up when someone held her, she was still too young to sit in a high chair and hold herself up. The baby food was a new thing they were trying, and though Zoe seemed to enjoy it, she often grew tired of it and was content to suck on her bottle.

Carole and Kurt had finished eating before Blaine, Burt and Finn, so Carole held Zoe as Kurt got her food and a bottle ready to go. Carole was curious as to how the boys figured Zoe wanted to try solid food, so she asked Kurt.

"It was kind of a fluke, really. A couple weeks ago, we were with the rest of the Warblers for dinner as usual. Zoe was being fussy and whining whenever Jeff tried to give her, her bottle. Beatz was the one that noticed Zoe's attention was on Sebastian's tray; he had picked out a container of applesauce and she kept grabbing for it. Nick was the one to ask if we'd tried seeing if she could handle food yet, since he remembered Robbie doing that when he was a baby."

Blaine came into the conversation. "It was pretty funny. Seb wasn't in the mood to give up his applesauce, so Trent offered his. Jeff sat Zoe up and Kurt put a little on a spoon. Sure enough, she managed a spoonful or two without choking on it. Then she went right back to drinking her bottle like it was no one's business."

"I think she just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. A week later, I borrowed an apple from the kitchen and mashed it up myself until it was mushier than the applesauce was. She seemed to like it better that way, so depending on her mood, I'd make her food like that and would stick with formula the rest of the time. It's been working well so far."

"Wait so you've been making it as you go?" asked Finn.

"Well we haven't had time to leave school to go to the supermarket, and our school store isn't exactly equipped to sell baby food either. The kitchen, however, has access to fruit that I can just turn into mush," said Kurt.

"That's pretty cool, bro," said Finn, impressed. "Have you tried other stuff?"

Kurt took a second to feed Zoe another spoonful. "Mainly been sticking to fruits...did try rice cereal, but she wasn't overly thrilled with it. I figured we could give it another try during break; I'm thinking it wasn't wet enough for her."

"She may just not like it; you certainly didn't," said Burt. "Your mom had to make it with mostly formula and barely a hint of rice for a while until you eventually started to eat it."

"Finn was the opposite. That was the first thing we tried to feed him and he took to it with no problem," said Carole. "It just depends on what the baby wants to eat. As long as she's interested, I wouldn't worry too much, and it's not like she has to eat solid food now."

"I have to say that I'm impressed at how quickly she's doing things," said Burt. "While it's not uncommon, she's on the early side for her milestones. That's not a bad thing, but sometimes late babies are late bloomers."

"I think this is her way of apologizing for being born late," said Kurt, amused. "Maybe her progressing as quickly as she has is her way of saying thanks for me having to carry her around an extra few weeks."

Carole laughed, "Well that's one way to look at it. Babies can be unpredictable. Some kids are just early learners instead of late bloomers. As long as she's actively trying to eat, talk and move, I wouldn't worry about her."

"Exactly, though some of the guys can't wait for her to get older. Just the other day a couple of the younger Warblers were debating what the better dessert was: pudding or Jell-O."

"So what was the winning vote?" asked Burt.

"I think Kurt called it a tie," said Blaine. "At one point, Daniel and James were about to start flinging food and Kurt dared them to do it."

"How would that have helped?" asked Carole.

"Professor Dippet was within hearing distance. Once they realized that arguing over dessert was a dumb idea, they called for a mutual difference of opinions. Of course, he then walked over to our table anyway and said they were both wrong and that the correct answer was pie, which then got Trent and Thad going with a debate of cake vs. pie."

"Which lasted for 20 minutes! It was ridiculous. I finally broke down and bribed them to shut up...told them I'd make them cookies if they let the whole topic go. That reminds me - I have to bake a couple things to bring to the party tomorrow."

"Aw...who told you about the party? It was supposed to be a surprise," whined Finn.

"Dad did with Blaine's permission. I was stressing too much over why everyone I knew was in on something I didn't know about. Apparently there's a cool present in it for me and Jeff, so that also helped to placate us until then; neither of us knows what that is. We were both starting to lose it."

"Oh...that's okay then," said Finn. "You gonna last the whole weekend without Zoe?"

"What are you talking about? She's coming too, isn't she?" asked Kurt.

Blaine face palmed. "Ah, no, she isn't. I didn't get too much into the details," he said, aiming a glare in Finn's direction. Blaine turned to Kurt and explained.

"While some of us are bringing siblings along, the party has a 'no babies allowed' policy. Carole and Burt have already agreed to keep her while we're gone. We'll leave for Wes's house early tomorrow morning and come back Sunday at some point."

"I don't get a say in this, do I?" sighed Kurt.

"No kiddo, you don't," said Burt. "It's about time you get to act like the teenager you are and enjoy a weekend with your friends, without having to worry about Zoe. We want some time with our granddaughter anyway, so it's a win-win for everybody. Trust me - you need the break."

"How come kids are allowed to come then?" asked Kurt.

"Well, Nick and I were working on the details with Wes, since he offered up his house. This weekend his parents will be out of town, so we'll have the house to ourselves. However, Cooper and Brandon have already claimed dibs on watching the rest of us party. Nick's parents have some adult-only family function they have to go to, and since none of them were invited, he's in charge of watching Kim and Robbie."

"We didn't want Robbie to be left out, so Puck is bringing Sarah and Sam is bringing Stacey and Stevie too," Finn added. "Everyone is in charge of packing an overnight bag; that way, we can stay up all night if we want and not have to worry about driving home at two in the morning."

"You've really thought this out, huh? I'm impressed. I have to admit, it's going to be strange to not have to worry about Zoe for a day, let alone two."

"Well don't worry too much about it. We're excited to do it, Zoe seems fine with it, and you guys deserve to have a good time without worrying about a baby. Just remember to come back and claim her by Sunday night," joked Carole. "Otherwise Finn will kidnap her and hide her in his room."

* * *

The next day found Kurt, Blaine, and Finn loading up the car with their stuff and the baked goods that Kurt had promised to bring. As they were getting ready to leave, Kurt had rather suddenly announced that he wasn't going and didn't want to leave Zoe behind. She, of course, was fine with staying with her grandparents and didn't seem to mind the extra cuddles she was getting from Kurt.

Finn eventually took charge and gently pulled Zoe out of Kurt's arms and gave her to Burt, allowing Blaine to pull Kurt away and buckle him into the front seat. Kurt was shocked at the tag-teaming they did and felt slightly betrayed at their actions. It took ten minutes into the drive before Kurt got a hold on his emotions and was capable of rational thinking again. He was mad at himself for acting like a baby.

"You're not a baby, bro." Kurt's head shot around to look at Finn in the backseat. He didn't realize he spoke that last thought aloud.

"Why else am I crying and acting like a crazy person then? It's not like I haven't been separated from her before. Every day at school, I don't see her for hours at a time, and Blaine and I have gone out a few times as well."

"Kurt, what's the longest time you've been away from Zoe? No," Blaine said, stopping Kurt, "really think about it for a second; and I mean both time and distance-wise."

Kurt closed his mouth and did as Blaine asked. He remembered that day when they moved back to Dalton and Blaine had kept him in town for most of the day. He'd needed the break and he got his daughter back that night. They'd gone on a few dates since school started, but never strayed too far away, and again, Zoe was usually with them before they went to sleep.

Then it clicked.

Whenever Kurt was away from Zoe, he was either close by or only gone for a few hours at a time. This weekend would be the first time in five months where he was baby-free _overnight_. Blaine and Finn shared a look in the rear view mirror when they could tell Kurt got it.

"The way you're acting is completely normal, Kurt. Parents go through separation anxiety just as much as kids do, especially when it's the first time you're doing it. Quite frankly, I'm surprised you let us get you in the car. For a minute there, I seriously thought you weren't going to come."

"Honestly, Blaine - if Finn hadn't taken Zoe and you hadn't pulled me into the car, we'd probably still be in the driveway. I hadn't realized that Zoe was with me that much."

"And that's not a bad thing. You think I was kidding earlier? If I had a way to keep her home with Mom, Dad, and me, I'd do it," said Finn. "But considering you'd probably kick my ass if I tried…"

"Damn right I would." Kurt sighed. "I'll be fine. It's not like it's for a week, just overnight. Hey, why aren't you freaking out?" he asked Blaine.

"Well, one of us needed to be the rational one. That, and moms are notorious for being a little more emotional about being apart from their babies."

"Yeah, and he freaked out this morning when you were taking a shower so he could be your cool and macho boyfriend."

"Finn!" Kurt burst out into laughter, as Blaine blushed in embarrassment and Finn smirked.

* * *

Blaine had barely pulled the car into the driveway when the front door flew open to reveal a very excited Jeff.

"They're here, Nick!" Jeff yelled as he hopped in place.

"I see them...you gonna admit to eating those pixie stix now? If you're too crazy, you'll scare everyone away."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Nick rolled his eyes. David had brought a lot of candy for everyone to enjoy, however, no one had anticipated Jeff attacking the pixie stix quite so early in the day. With the amount he had, there was no doubt in Nick's mind that he'd be crashing soon enough; he just hoped it wouldn't interfere with his plans for the night.

Kurt had barely gotten out of the car when he was caught in a fierce bear hug from Jeff. Kurt hugged back just as hard, and laughed as he could feel Jeff vibrating with energy.

"Jeff, sweetie, you know I love you, but we haven't been separated for very long...and who gave you sugar?"

Jeff would deny all day that he had eaten the candy, but he could never lie to Kurt. "Nick wasn't watching me well enough. David brought a whole box full for the party and I might've had a piece or two."

"Just a piece or two?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay...I might have eaten a bag of pixie stix…" mumbled Jeff. By this point, Nick had walked up to the car to say hi to Blaine and Finn and help them with their stuff. Finn had thought he was used to Jeff and his antics, but he'd never seen the blonde on a sugar high, and was shocked that someone could be so bouncy.

"He'll settle down eventually." Finn looked at Nick.

"Are you sure? He's always a little lively but I don't think I've ever seen him like this."

Both Nick and Blaine laughed. "It'll probably take a while, but we'll only have to worry if he gets quiet. Until then, he'll just give Tigger a run for his money. Once the kids get here, it'll be easier - they'll tire him out for us. Come on in - I'll show you where to stash your stuff."

Jeff had already dragged Kurt into the house by the time Blaine, Finn and Nick entered with their overnight bags. Wes met them at the door to take the cookies into the kitchen.

"Hey guys - glad you made it in one piece. How was the drive?"

"Not bad at all, actually," said Blaine. "Although you should be happy we _got_ here at all."

"Wait, what?" asked Nick.

"Finn let it slip that Zoe wasn't coming along during dinner last night, so we had some difficulty leaving the house this morning."

Wes whistled, "That bad?"

"I had to take Zoe from Kurt and give her to Dad while Blaine got Kurt into the car. He kinda had a mini-breakdown on the ride over. Don't worry," Finn said quickly, at the look of worry on Wes's face, "he's alright now. Eventually he realized it was for his own good that he gets a break every now and then."

"Aw...we wanted to see the little princess." Finn and Wes turned around to see Becky and Michelle. "I'm impressed Kurt actually left her behind."

"Not for lack of trying - believe me." Kurt had gotten free of Jeff's clutches. "I do have plenty of pictures to show all of you lovely ladies, so I hope that counts for something. By the way, where's David? I have a bone to pick with him."

Michelle laughed. "He's hiding from you at the moment. He's convinced you're going to beat him up for getting Jeff high on sugar."

"While I'm not overly thrilled that he's jumping around like a kangaroo, it's not entirely David's fault. Although hiding the candy would have been a brilliant idea!" Kurt had grown increasingly louder as he spoke, knowing that David was close by. Sure enough, the missing Warbler poked his head into the room, looking properly chastised.

"Hey Kurt - I didn't know you'd arrived. How's it going?"

"Oh no you don't," said Kurt, pointing his finger. "In what universe is it a good idea to leave a box of candy, out in the open, for Jeffrey to find? Do we not remember what happened last Easter?"

David winced. Jeff, Rich, and Jimmy had dared each other to see who could eat the most candy without getting sick. It had resulted in an hour of pure chaos until Rich and Jimmy decided to forfeit, as neither wanted to actually get sick. Jeff decided to celebrate by eating three more chocolate bunnies, which resulted in Kurt having to nurse a very sick blonde back to health the rest of the weekend as no one had the will power - or the stomach - to take care of him. All Kurt could say was that it was a good thing he was so used to throwing up by that point; he had been through the worst of the morning sickness by then.

"In my defense, the candy wasn't out in the open, exactly...it was Nick's fault!" David yelled. "He was supposed to be watching his boyfriend."

"What!?" exclaimed Nick, oblivious to the outbreak of laughter from the surrounding viewers. Kurt just rolled his eyes and waved off Nick's confusion.

"Just do us all a favor and keep it out of sight next time...leave it in your car or something. Be thankful it was just a lot of pixie stix - we can handle a sugar rush. When are the kids coming?"

"Puck just sent me a text," said Finn. "The rest of New Directions should be here shortly. Sam and Puck got an early start, so Stevie, Stacey, and Sarah will be here in no time."

"Yay!" Most of the group jumped, as they hadn't been expecting Jeff to just pop out of nowhere. Nick groaned and sent a glare to David, who just weakly chuckled.

* * *

Within two hours everyone had arrived and the party was in full swing. The Silvertones were catching up with the New Directions girls. The New Directions boys and the Warblers - both old and new - were arguing with each other with 'manly' topics such as football, video games, and girls. Robbie, Stevie, Stacey, and Sarah did an amazing job with Jeff by tiring him out to his normal level of crazy, and they were all rewarded with some of Kurt's cookies.

While everyone looked to be having a good time, there was one person that wasn't as excited as he appeared. Kurt had taken a spot in a chair off to the side, seemingly watching the kids dancing around with Jeff, Nick, and Blaine. Taking a closer look, though, someone could tell his mind wasn't all there.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Kurt jumped as Cooper sat down next to him. He must've been pretty out of it to not notice him approach.

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, that was convincing. You may be pretty good at hiding your feelings when it suits you, but don't think we don't notice. What's up?"

"I don't know. I'm having a good time - really I am," Kurt pushed, at Cooper's raised eyebrow. "It's just - I don't know - it's weird to act like a teenager right now. I haven't had an opportunity like this in a very long time. It didn't even occur to me until we were on the way here; I had a minor meltdown in the car."

"What's the problem exactly? Is it because you miss Zoe? Cause that's totally allowed."

"I've had her with me every single day since she was born. Zoe has been my main focus for the last five months...more like twelve months. You know it's been a year since I found out I was pregnant? I found out just before Christmas and told everyone by New Year's Eve. It just feels wrong not to have her here."

Cooper knew he couldn't fully relate to what Kurt was feeling, but knew he wanted Kurt to cheer up. It wouldn't make anyone feel good if one of the guests of honor was in a depressive funk.

"Blaine mentioned your breakdowns earlier, yes," he said at Kurt's look of confusion, "he told me about his too. Zoe means the world to the two of you. No one in their right mind would dispute that. But even new parents usually accept help and take a break when they need it. Yeah, coffee dates and movie nights are nice, but sometimes a full day and night away is necessary.

"You have every right to feel weird with her not here, but remember that you deserve a break every now and then - whether or not you truly realize it. Have you called your parents to check in yet?"

"It's only been a few hours."

Cooper waved the comment away. "So what? She's your kid, and quite frankly, I'm surprised you've lasted this long."

Kurt sighed, "I don't want to seem needy or paranoid. I'm not even that far away; it's not like we took a trip out of state."

"Doesn't matter. Just call up and check in with them; make up a reason if it makes you feel better. I mean, you could sit here like a bump on a log and sulk, but that'll make my brother upset and I like you, so beating you up isn't exactly an option since Blaine would then hurt me."

Kurt laughed. "And I wouldn't want to start a vicious cycle of Anderson pain."

Cooper laughed as well. "I knew you'd see it my way. So do us all a favor and check on your daughter. Then you can appease the girls and show off those pictures that are stashed in Blaine's overnight bag. Get something to drink and relax. This party is for you and Jeff and neither of you are allowed to be upset."

"Wait - what do you mean this is for us? Cooper!" Kurt watched as Cooper smirked and walked off to talk to Brandon and get a refill for himself. Kurt sighed and pulled out his cell phone, contemplating on his and Cooper's conversation.

If he really thought about it, Kurt hadn't felt like this since that first day Blaine dragged him out before school started. Zoe had been left with Nick and Jeff, and she was fine when they got back, even though he was a nervous wreck for most of the day. Right now she was spending the night with her grandparents, who Kurt trusted with everything he had. Nothing bad was going to happen to her.

But one phone call wouldn't hurt, right?

* * *

Burt and Carole were spending some quality time with Zoe. While neither of them had ever expected to have a grandchild so soon, both of them had embraced their roles without much thought. It wasn't a common sight for just the three of them to spend time together, but Carole was secretly hoping that this night out would be beneficial for everyone, Kurt especially.

She had started to worry last night when Finn let it slip that Zoe wasn't going to the party and Kurt didn't say much one way or the other. Burt had thought that was a good thing, until they saw Kurt's reaction that morning when they went to leave. Her heart broke a little to see Kurt get so upset and have to be forcefully put into the car, but then she remembered how she'd been with Finn all those years ago, and knew that this was an important step for both Kurt and Blaine.

While this wouldn't be the first time they had babysat, it would be the first time Zoe would be going to bed without seeing her parents before falling asleep, and for Carole, that was her only concern for the weekend. Naps were no big deal as Zoe had a tendency to fall asleep anywhere and on anyone. Bedtime was a different story because no matter what the circumstances were, Kurt always put Zoe to bed.

"You know, if you keep thinking hard like that, you're gonna get wrinkles."

Carole turned around and swatted Burt on his shoulder as he laughed. "Ha ha."

"Seriously, what's up? You've been pretty quiet since the boys left."

"I was just thinking...Kurt was so upset this morning. It just reminded me of leaving Finn for the first time."

"He was, but we were kinda expecting it. Hell, I thought he was gonna have a fit last night; I know you were thinking the same thing."

"I knew it was going to be worse this morning, but it still hurts to see him like that. Blaine wasn't that much better. I found him cuddling Zoe while Kurt was in the shower this morning. I think he wanted to break a little without Kurt noticing."

"They'll be fine. You know as well as I do that this was a long time coming. The first time leaving your kid behind is the hardest, and if I know Kurt, he'll eventually call us up and ask how we're doing, be fine for a few hours, and then call again."

Carole sighed, "You're right - this is necessary...doesn't mean I have to like it though."

Burt smiled and passed Zoe to Carole. "Here - you hold the baby for a little while. I'm gonna go make her a bottle and make us some lunch while we wait for Kurt to call. Sound good?"

Carole laughed as she and Zoe made their way back into the living room. Zoe had been fine so far, and at first, both Burt and Carole had been surprised as to how well she took to Kurt and Blaine leaving; until they remembered that Zoe was used to her parents leaving her daily at Dalton for hours at a time.

They weren't overly surprised when the phone rang an hour later.

* * *

Cooper was talking to Brandon and Robin when he noticed Blaine wandering around the room.

"Looking for something, bro?"

"Yeah - Kurt. Do you know where he went? I know you were talking to him over there earlier."

"I think I saw him going upstairs a few minutes ago...he's probably checking on Zoe."

Blaine tilted his head to the side. "How do you know that?"

"We were talking about her earlier. I know you said that he had an epiphany in the car, but I think it finally hit him that he wouldn't be putting Zoe to bed tonight."

"How are you holding up, Blaine?" asked Robin. "I know Kurt's usually more emotional than you but it can't be any easier for you."

Blaine sighed. "I think I'm fine, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about her too. But hey, we had to do it sometime, right? I just hope he cheers up a bit for later."

Cooper pulled Blaine into a hug. "You'll both be fine. Why don't you go find him and put both of your minds at ease, okay? No depressive moods allowed tonight. And hurry up - we're gonna be eating soon."

Blaine rolled his eyes and left the room in search for Kurt. He didn't have to go too far, as Kurt was sitting at the top of the stairs, staring at his phone. Blaine walked up and took a seat next to him and waited for him to say something. Kurt moved closer to Blaine, placed his head on his shoulder, and sighed. Blaine put his arm around Kurt and slowly rubbed Kurt's arm.

"You gonna tell me why you're hiding on the stairs while everyone else is having a good time?"

"Promise not to laugh? I was trying to decide if I should call and check on Zoe now or see how long I can hold out and do it later."

"Why would I laugh? And who says you can't call now _and_ later? They're probably expecting us to check in anyway."

Kurt sighed, "You don't think it's ridiculous or pathetic?"

"Absolutely not. To be honest, I was about to call them myself. I was looking for you...figured we'd give them a buzz now and then we can have them call us when they put her down for the night. What do you think?"

Kurt mulled it over and conceded to Blaine's train of thought, wondering why he didn't think about that in the first place. "That's an awesome idea, actually. Can we call them now? That should hold me until Zoe's bedtime."

Blaine agreed and fifteen minutes later, the couple returned to the party in a much better mood.

* * *

"Can you tell me now?"

"Nope."

"Now?"

"No."

"Please!"

"No Jeff! Later!"

Jeff was seriously getting frustrated with his boyfriend. The party had been going for several hours, and now that he'd settled down some, he resumed his previous plan to find out just what this surprise Nick had been talking about was. The girls knew and wouldn't say anything, and the guys were no better. Begging and pleading with Nick was also getting him nowhere and it was starting to bother him.

So what else was there to do? Find another target.

"Finn, buddy, I know you know what's going on. So how about you help me out and give me a hint or two?"

Finn threw his hands up. "No way dude. I'm still in the doghouse with Blaine for slipping up last night. Nick has something awesome planned and I'm not gonna mess anything else up if I can help it. Can't you just wait a little longer?"

Jeff pouted and crossed his arms. "Obviously I can't, otherwise I wouldn't be begging for someone to throw me a bone. I'm not a very patient person."

"Really? I couldn't tell," murmured Sebastian.

"I heard that," growled Jeff.

Nick groaned and banged his head against the wall a few times, until Brandon gently pulled him away from the wall. "I'd rather not have my future brother-in-law brain dead, although I know you're having a tough time at the moment."

Jeff's jaw dropped. "Oh god, you're not proposing are you?" Nick had an equally shocked look on his face, but Jeff continued, frantic. "Not that I'd mind, but we're kinda young for that, don't you think? I was hoping we'd wait a while before doing that, but I love you and if you were to ask, I'd say yes in a heartbeat -"

"Bro, you need to breathe. Calm down - he's not proposing...at least not tonight," Brandon said, though that last bit he muttered under his breath. While Brandon took care of Jeff, Blaine grabbed Nick and dragged him to the other side of the room.

"You ready to do this? I don't know who's worse off right now - Jeff or Kurt."

"Well, is your boyfriend about to go crazy?" asked Nick.

"No. Mine is getting close to a nervous breakdown, and between the two of us, we've had several of them already today," said Blaine. "How about we put all of us out of our misery?"

As Nick glanced at both Jeff and Kurt, he sighed and agreed with Blaine that it was time to start the show.

"Yeah, that's probably best. Do you mind letting Wes know we're ready? He can get everyone's attention for us. I have a boyfriend to reign in. Why can't Jeff take after Kurt?"

"He doesn't know any better...I'm sure he'll change his tune soon enough," Blaine said with a smirk.

While Nick and Brandon were distracting Jeff, Finn and Cooper were entertaining Kurt. Blaine found Wes in one of the bedrooms gathering presents together to bring downstairs. David, Trent, and Jon were helping him out.

"Hey Blaine. Is it time for presents?" asked Wes.

"Yeah. Jeff is driving everyone crazy and starting to panic; Kurt is quiet. I think he's trying to piece things together, but he's been better since we said goodnight to Zoe. Carole figured out how to Skype from computer to phone, so we got to see her and sing her a lullaby."

"Aw...that sounds so cute," said Trent, as Jon pretended to gag.

"David, where's the hat with the names in it?" asked Wes.

"On the table by the door. I meant to ask but I forgot - how are we doing this gift exchange thing with so many of us here? I get how a White Elephant works, but I've never done one with a huge group."

"We're gonna let the kids pick four people at a time, who will then select and open their gifts and decide if they're content or if they wanna swap. Kurt and Jeff will be the last ones and there will only be one gift left, which will obviously be the super-secret box."

"Please stop calling it the super-secret box...where is it, by the way?" asked Blaine.

"Right here," said Trent. "We kept it separate from the rest so that it didn't get lost. We'll make sure it gets put at the bottom of the pile once everything is downstairs. Everyone is already aware that they are not to pick it up, and that it is for Jeff and Kurt to open at the end of the game."

"That sounds good to me. No offense, if we had to play this game with the right rules, it'd be like playing Monopoly...it'd never end."

* * *

Kurt and Jeff knew something was up, considering how Nick, Cooper, Brandon, and Finn wouldn't let them leave the room; and to add to that, the fact that no one was helping them out.

"Just give me one good reason why I can't go looking for my boyfriend. Then, maybe I'll leave it alone."

Cooper and Finn glanced at each other in slight panic, as neither could think of a good reason to keep Kurt from running off. Nick was dealing with an equally suspicious Jeff, so he wasn't much help. Brandon took pity on them and told Kurt that it was part of the surprise. Kurt stared at Brandon and was amused at the looks on the others' faces and agreed to let it slide - at least for another five minutes.

Luckily for all involved, Blaine appeared with the rest of the group and carrying several boxes of wrapped gifts. Apparently, this was something everyone present had been waiting for. In no time at all, the gifts had been neatly aligned in front of the group, who had found places to sit around the room. Kurt and Jeff were taken from their brothers and seated front and center, happy to see they were finally going to get to the bottom of whatever Blaine and Nick had planned for them. Wes was the first to begin speaking.

"As the host of this soiree, I would like to welcome you all and thank you for coming to this little get-together of glee clubs for the holiday. Now we all know why we're here - that is, all of us but two. I am amazed that we were able to keep this under wraps for as long as we did, and that all Kurt and Jeff are aware of is that we wanted to have a party and that there will be some cool surprise, which will revealed soon."

"Finally," muttered the still clueless duo, to the humor of the group.

"I now ask for the two responsible to come forward to get this gift-giving underway. Blaine, Nick."

"Thank you Wes. Now when Nick and I started to plan this whole thing, we stumbled upon the idea of doing something that involved presents, not just because it's the holidays, but because presents are awesome." The kids cheered loudly in agreement. "Since there are a lot of us with three groups here, we at first thought of a Secret Santa type thing, but while we know our individual groups, we don't know much about the rest of us."

"Which is why we settled on doing a White Elephant," Nick said. "This means that the gifts are guaranteed to range from practical to outrageous. Now in order to not turn this into a long process, we will be pulling names from a hat in bunches. Each group will select a gift and open it, and if they so choose to, will have a chance to trade for something else. Everyone agree on this?"

"Who's pulling names?" asked James and Daniel.

"We're giving that honor to our youngest party goers. So I ask that Stevie, Stacey, Robbie, and Sarah come on up and we can start opening gifts." The foursome jumped up and didn't waste a second in digging into the hat and reading names.

* * *

Even with twisting the rules a bit, it still took well over an hour to divvy up the gifts, which ranged from fluffy stuffed animals to books to lotions to an item or two that had to be hidden before explanations had to be given to the kiddies. As promised, no one touched the most important gift of them all, and as there were only two people left to receive a gift, Kurt and Jeff had finally reached a boiling point and had had enough of waiting.

Jeff snapped and threw his hands in the air. "Okay, I give up - I can't take it anymore! Kurt and I are the only two left and the only thing left is a box?! What the hell is going on?!" A few of the girls jumped at the sudden exclaiming, as well as most of the New Directions boys. Kurt was busy glaring at Blaine and Nick, conveying with his eyes to 'get on with it or else', while he tried to reassure Jeff.

"Jeff, take a moment and breathe - no, sweetie, stop pulling your hair - Blaine, Nick, I have no patience left and if I wasn't so curious, I'd kill you both right now. So can you get on with this 'surprise' now?" pleaded Kurt.

Blaine and Nick took in the sight of their boyfriends and agreed with Kurt. They looked around the room and received encouraging smiles and thumbs up from everyone there. The duo quickly got up and gently grabbed their other half, bringing them to the front of the group, the box innocently sitting between them.

"A few weeks ago, it came to my attention that I hadn't yet decided on a gift for Jeff," started Nick. "As I was running out of time, I started to get desperate and asked around for ideas - none of which were very helpful. A random piece of advice from my mom gave me the most brilliant idea ever, but I needed some help in pulling it off without Jeff knowing about it."

"Which is where I came in," said Blaine. "Nick came to my room with an awesome idea that just needed a plan of action. We eventually recruited help from the Warblers, and after we figured out the details, got the Silvertones and New Directions involved. The only two who never found out our real reason for this party are Kurt and Jeff - which I'm very impressed with."

"But why all the secrecy over a present?" asked Kurt.

"Yeah, Nick...if this was all a ploy to do something for me for Christmas, you really didn't have to. Like the song says: all I want for Christmas is you. Don't get me wrong - having Brandon and Robin here is pretty cool too - and you know how much I love hanging out with your family."

"I know, but as much as you say it doesn't bother you, I know how not having parents that want to be around you sucks. I can't stand the fact that they don't see how great you are. I hate the fact that they send you 'care packages' when they obviously don't remember that the thought of enjoying them could kill you. It hurts when you decline doing things with my mom because you feel you're just going to be in the way, when in reality, she just wants to spend time with you. That kinda brings us to how Kurt got involved.

"When I was talking to my mom, she suggested and I quote, 'maybe you should ask his "mama" if he's mentioned anything; you know how well he and Jeff get along'. It hit me then and there that the best present I could get for you is a parent."

It was hard to tell whose jaw dropped first. Kurt was still a little confused as to where Nick was going with this, but he had to admit that it was a genius move on his part. Jeff had started to tear up a little, though he could tell that Nick wasn't quite done explaining yet.

"My parents have said before that they see you as another member of the family. You're not just my boyfriend; you're also another brother for Kim and Robbie, and another son to them both. But even they have noticed the way you act and talk whenever Kurt is mentioned in conversation. You two have become a force to be reckoned with around school and with our friends, and we love you both for that."

"We set up this party to celebrate the fact that both of you are the favorites, whether you realize it or not," said Blaine. "And we hope that you like what we've organized for the two of you. Are you ready for the big surprise?"

Jeff was tightly holding on to Kurt's hand, who had no problems reciprocating. Both were ready to finally see what all of the fuss was about. Nick picked up the box and presented it to Jeff, who only grabbed for it after receiving a 'go ahead' nod from Kurt. Blaine and Nick noticed the subtle questioning look, but didn't comment. Everyone else was holding their breath as Jeff slowly ripped it open.

As it turned out, there were three things in the box. The first thing was a large, official-looking envelope with 'Read First' written on the front. Beneath it was two thin rectangular boxes that were individually wrapped, each with Kurt and Jeff written on top, respectively. Jeff threw a nervous look to Kurt again.

"Go ahead, Jeff. Open the envelope and let's see what's inside." That was all the push that Jeff needed. He took a breath and proceeded to pull out a neatly stapled stack of papers. At first, he was the only one to read the top of the page, and when he did, he gave in and started to cry. Kurt, concerned, gently pulled Jeff against him and wordlessly asked to see. He also began to lose his hold on his emotions and let out a soft gasp.

**PETITION FOR ADOPTION**

"What is - I don't -" Kurt was unable to form a coherent thought, torn between comforting a distressed Jeff and getting answers. Blaine and Nick glanced at each other before Nick spoke up.

"Kurt, do you remember a conversation we had a few months ago, back when I first heard Nick calling you 'mama'? I have to be honest and tell you that I didn't understand it at first and thought it was a little strange. Then I took some time to think about it and I had to agree that it made a lot of sense. The two of you have a relationship that a lot of us are jealous of, but none of us here would ever say that it's wrong. You've been more of a parent to Jeff than his own, and though mine have tried, Jeff's never let them in the way he has with you.

"Now I know that we can't make this official or anything, but it's as official as we could make it. All you have to do is sign at the bottom and it's a done deal. If you wouldn't mind opening the remaining gifts," Nick gestured to what was left in the box.

Jeff and Kurt opened them up to find simple, but elegant, frames that already had certificates that had been put into place, both proclaiming that Jeff was 'officially' Kurt's son. Seeing it written for the world to see was the last straw for Jeff, as he leapt into Nick's arms and kissed him hard, while crying tears of joy. Kurt was similarly swept into Blaine's arms as he stood there in shock.

Kurt had never imagined that he'd have paperwork that essentially made Jeff a part of his family; it didn't matter that it wasn't a real and legal document. It was a symbolic gesture that meant a great deal to both of them; though Kurt knew it meant so much more for Jeff. Kurt had lost track of the number of times Jeff had come to him in tears of varying emotions, asking him for a hug or an explanation why his parents hated him so much.

Kurt's head shot up as he scanned the group and met eyes with Brandon. He was wondering what his part of all of this was, and if he was okay with Jeff being his. Brandon seemed to be on the same wavelength and made his way to the front of the room to say something. He walked up to Jeff and made eye contact, barely moments before he had an armful of his brother.

"This isn't a way for you to get rid of me, is it? Because I couldn't imagine losing you as a brother, or Robin as a sister-in-law."

"You can't get rid of me that easily, Jeff. Nick called and asked me for my opinion and though I was a little reluctant at first - even with this not being totally legit - I had to agree that this would be the ultimate gift for you. I know that I'm not always available to see you, and phone calls only get us so far. I've always been worried for you when I'm not able to visit or talk, and knowing how much our parents suck hurts us both. Nick was and is the best thing to ever happen to you, but you having Kurt there has always been an amazing plus.

"I never want you to feel like you're alone, and knowing that you have someone to call family close by when I'm not here, makes me feel so much better. Just don't forget that you still have me. Kurt as your mama or not, you had me first."

Jeff hugged him tightly, "Thanks Brandon, and don't worry - I'll keep all of that in mind the next time I need to talk to someone at three in the morning about some random topic."

"Now wait just a minute -" Brandon sputtered.

While their audience laughed at Brandon's expense, Kurt turned to Blaine and asked where they'd found the forms. For something that wasn't legal, they certainly looked pretty damn convincing.

"The internet is a wonderful thing. These are almost identical to the forms you'd actually fill out for adopting a minor. We just tweaked it a little bit; the certificates we made ourselves, but used pictures we found for inspiration. What do you think about it? I hope you don't mind Zoe having a big brother."

"Jeff is already one of Zoe's favorite people, so I don't think she'll have a problem with that. I certainly don't mind, but just so we're clear, Jeff is still the only one other than Zoe that can refer to me as his mama. Got that?"

Blaine kissed Kurt and replied back with a sassy 'yes, sir'.


	24. Big Steps

***peeks around the corner* Hi everyone…sorry for the delay. I had hoped to get this up before Thanksgiving, but that didn't happen (obviously). However, in case you didn't see it, there is now a Chapter 2 posted for **_Pink, Blue or Purple?_ **as promised, since thanks to all of you awesome people this story as a whole has hit 106 reviews (though I would love to see **_Pink_** get to 100 independently *hint hint*)**

**This is essentially the second part of the previous chapter and contains a little foreshadowing in regards to the sequel. I'll be posting the next chapter to that one as well, so keep an eye out – yay for multitasking!**

**And if anyone is reading from areas that Sandy hit, I hope you are/will be back to normal soon. I live in southern New Jersey, so I'm well aware of the condition of the shore and other parts of the state. Continued prayers go out to Staten Island, NY where roughly 90% of my mother's family lives, as the island sustained an incredible amount of damage and are still trying to clean things up.**

**I'd like to give a special shout-out to **RaeKopplin1**, who has been a wonderful help in regards to giving me some info on Ohio. And thanks go out to all of you that read, follow, favorite, and review. You can also send me a PM if you want to with questions or comments.**

**I still don't own Glee (Klaine would've at least had a real conversation by now!), especially anything in regards to the Box Scene. If you haven't seen that by now, go on YouTube and watch it. I think I speak for all of us when I say that scene would've been better to watch than Finn giving Rachel a pig for Christmas. I'm also borrowing a song from **_Santa Claus is Coming to Town_**, and I promise to give it back when I'm done.**

_**Big Steps**_

* * *

The rest of the night flew by, and eventually, the group began to settle down for the night. While Wes's house was big and there was plenty of room, having all of them camp out in the living room was a tall order, so it was suggested that they just take over the house. What it became was a sleepover for the boys and a slumber party for the girls. It didn't take long for Sarah, Stacey, Robin, the Silvertones and the New Directions girls to head upstairs to take over a few of the rooms, leaving the first floor for the boys.

It reminded most of them of their memorable summer experience, which the younger Warblers couldn't resist asking about. Some of them had heard bits of the story since school started, but none had heard about everything in one go. None of them could believe that Finn and Puck had been able to help deliver Zoe, and the fact that Kurt had actually given birth at home without any other assistance was nothing short of amazing to them.

Cooper and Brandon just sat there in shock, as it never occurred to them that there had been parts of the story they missed. The younger Warblers and Stevie had thought it was awesome - though still kind of gross - but they'd agreed that Kurt was now a new level of badass. Kurt had just rolled his eyes and humored them.

The story telling had somehow led into a discussion about college and plans after high school. By that point, though, the amount of people still awake was slowly dwindling. Stevie was asleep, curled up with Sam. Artie and Rory were passed out on the floor with most of the younger Warblers. This left Cooper, Brandon, Wes, Sebastian, and all of the seniors to talk. Wes told them about his first semester away from home and that while he was enjoying his roommates, he still hadn't forgiven them for eating his cookies.

Cooper and Brandon had gone to OSU, but didn't meet until halfway through their sophomore year. They were going for different majors, but often found themselves studying in the same spots on campus. By the time they were juniors, they had become best friends and roommates. They spoke about anything and everything, and it was also thanks to Cooper that Brandon met Robin.

One thing they'd discovered during their conversations was that they both had awesome younger brothers and inattentive parents. Cooper and Brandon had made sure to keep an eye on their brothers once they started college, but sometimes it wasn't enough. Jeff and Blaine were in middle school when Brandon and Cooper first invited them to visit and spend time with them over a weekend.

That turned out to be one of the best ideas ever.

Blaine and Jeff explained that spending time with their brothers became a much needed getaway, and spent whatever time they could with Cooper and Brandon. While they had Sebastian and Nick, respectively, it was nice to be able to rely on family that cared about their well-being. It was also nice that they had friends outside of school to talk to. Jeff and Nick lived in a different district to Blaine and Sebastian, and while the first two went straight to Dalton, the other two went to a public high school. Then the dreaded dance happened and they were separated. The only plus for Blaine was that he knew two people when Cooper used Brandon's advice to send him to Dalton, which explained why while Blaine was good friends with Wes and David, Nick and Jeff were the ones he went to when he was feeling upset about something.

Sebastian was the one to ask if the others had made plans yet about college. Nick and Blaine admitted that they wanted to do something with music, but weren't quite sure what. Mike was hoping to get into a dance program, which was a far cry from pre-med. Finn and Puck had no idea what they wanted to do, but Kurt was quick to tell them that they should seriously consider becoming some sort of birthing coach or nurse-midwife deal; they were already onto a good start considering they'd done the beginner stuff already and already had first-hand experience in delivering a baby outside of a hospital.

Kurt was up in the air as to what he wanted to do. He still on occasion helped Neal and his sister out when they were overloaded with huge costume orders, and he still enjoyed creating his own clothes. Madame Moreau made a point to tell him that he'd make an excellent tutor or teacher, and she didn't just mean for French either. Several people also recommended becoming a counselor or social worker, since he'd helped just about everyone in all three groups by now, whether it was for advice or just acting as a soundboard.

David and Thad wanted to take business courses, but hadn't settled on a specific plan of action. Trent enjoyed event planning and was trying to convince Beatz that he needed him to go to culinary school so that he could hire him; not many knew, but Beatz and Kurt enjoyed having food battles like they do on those shows on the Food Network, and it was often hard for someone to declare a winner.

Jeff had no idea what he wanted to do, but he was considering the possibility of becoming a nurse. When one of the guys asked if there was a specialty in mind, he said he didn't know, though a couple of them suggested he work in pediatrics with the kids. He had admitted to Nick in private that if he ever had the opportunity to become a stay-at-home parent, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Soon enough, no one could hold in their yawns anymore so they mutually agreed to get some sleep. When the girls had gone upstairs, everyone had agreed to share either a late breakfast or lunch - depending on what time they got up - before leaving the next day. This would be the last time they'd see each other as a big group until after New Year's, since many of them were spending time with their families for the rest of the break.

* * *

Kurt would've loved to say that they took their time leaving Wes's house, and upon arriving home, was calm and in no hurry to get out of the car. He would've loved to say that he slowly entered the house, put his stuff in his room, and then eventually located his daughter, who was more than happy to see him.

Of course, that's not what happened, but at least he wasn't the only one who was impatient...just the worst.

In the morning, Kurt was the first one packed and ready to head home. He had even started cooking and preparing breakfast before anyone else was up yet. While the coffee was brewing and the water boiling for tea, Kurt cleaned up whatever mess that was left. He moved some of the furniture back into place if it was possible and made sure everyone's stuff was together. By eleven thirty, people were waking up, whether they wanted to or not.

Needless to say, all were shocked to see the state of the house when they made their way into the kitchen. Kurt was trying to play it off by saying that he was normally up early anyway, but most could tell it was just an act and humored him by eating and getting ready to head out. To be honest, everyone was surprised Kurt had held out for this long without some kind of anxiety attack; they were all aware that he was Zoe-deprived and she was the only one to get him back to normal.

Blaine insisted on driving them back because even though Kurt was certainly far more awake than either him or Finn, an anxious Kurt was not a good driver. As soon as they got in the driveway, Kurt had jumped out of the car before it was even off, almost slid on the front steps, and just missed running into Carole, who had been ready at the front door to pass Zoe off to Kurt.

Kurt couldn't help hugging her close and swaying back in forth; Zoe didn't seem to object to the attention. He barely noticed Carole guiding him toward the couch, too focused on holding onto his little girl. It took him several minutes to realize that not only was he sitting down, Blaine was seated next to him and carding his fingers through her hair. Burt was the first to notice that Kurt was back to reality.

"You feel better now, Kurt? See - she's still in one piece and happy to see you." Kurt had the grace to blush and looked up at Carole and Burt, who had entered the room just in time to watch Kurt be the frantic mother hen.

"Yeah...um, hi Dad. Hi Mom."

Burt chuckled as Carole stepped closer, kneeling in front of the trio on the couch. She placed a hand on Kurt's face and locked eyes with him, seeing the way he was holding back tears. Carole and Burt had figured that Kurt was going to be a little crazy when the boys got back, and no one was disappointed. Blaine was also staying close to Zoe, but he was doing a good job restraining himself from taking Zoe for a turn as well.

Carole gave Kurt a nod in Blaine's direction, and though he hesitated for a moment, passed Zoe to her daddy without a word. Blaine gave a soft sigh of relief, though it was hard to tell if it was for seeing Kurt give her up to him voluntarily, or because he missed her that much and hadn't realized it.

Finn had been standing by Burt looking at the little family bonding in front of them. Burt looked at Finn and asked if they had a good time and if Kurt and Jeff liked their present.

"Liked is an understatement. They totally loved it. Everyone definitely had a great time as one big group, though we split up into two groups when we went to sleep last night. Us guys hung out downstairs and all of the girls took over the rooms upstairs. But I'm glad to be home; the last couple of hours were stressful."

"I hope it wasn't too bad for you, though you get brownie points for handling the situation," said Burt. "I have to say I'm impressed. We were betting that Kurt was going to be a total wreck when you guys got home."

"He was worse this morning. When the rest of us woke up, Kurt had cleaned up whatever he could, had made breakfast, and was already packed and set to go. Jeff and Blaine were able to calm him down a little bit, but Artie was the one to suggest he take some of his meds."

Burt had hoped it wouldn't have come to that. "Did he?"

"He wasn't going to, but then Nick convinced him to take at least half a dose to regain some of his sanity. He pointed out that if he was freaking out too much, Zoe wouldn't react well and get upset. Kurt took it on the way home, so that he'd be fine by the time we got here. You know how much he hates taking that stuff."

Burt knew all too well. Kurt was never one to take prescription medications. He was fine with taking Tylenol or ibuprofen when he needed to, but even then, he did as a last resort. Kurt did experience a case of the baby blues right before the semester started, but Matt had determined that he was also dealing with minor anxiety issues as well. He'd been the one to convince Kurt to fill the prescription for them, just in case. It had been a low-dose drug to begin with, and Kurt had yet to make a dent in the bottle.

Kurt had dealt with anxiety in the past, so it wasn't his first rodeo. When he and Artie had been in that accident all those years ago and the weight of the possibility of being wheelchair-bound for life had been a high possibility, Kurt had been given medication to help with the stress of it all. Even back then, he only took it if he absolutely had to.

"I guess that's why he's a little spaced out. Even with the light-dose ones, they still make him feel weird; that's why he doesn't like taking them."

"I guess," Finn agreed. "It was just weird to watch him be all quiet and fidgety in the car. That's why I sent Mom a text when we were close by...figured he'd feel better if Zoe was the first person he saw. How many times did he call last night?"

"Just a couple," said Burt. "I was expecting him to call more, but after we put her to bed together, he never tried to call back...probably didn't want to wake her up, or us. All that matters is that we made it through the first real test of separation and everyone is still relatively in one piece. The first time is always the hardest. It gets easier from here."

* * *

Burt was right. The first time was definitely the hardest, but it did start to get easier.

Between Christmas and New Year's, the New Directions girls requested - more like demanded - Kurt's presence, with the stipulation that Zoe was left behind again. Blaine had stayed home though to hang out with Finn and Puck, so Kurt wasn't too worried about leaving her home. He did still call Blaine to check on her though.

Kurt was starting to wonder if his family and friends were conspiring against him, as it seemed like whenever he went to spend time outside the house, Zoe wasn't supposed to be tagging along. There had been a night where Artie had invited the guys to his place to play video games, and since they had heard of Kurt's secret talent to beat the really hard levels, he was told that his presence was required. Once again, Zoe was left with Burt and Carole, but surprisingly, he only called once to check in on her.

Soon enough, it was December 31st, and as promised, everyone was with their respective families to ring in the new year. Kurt and Carole had spent the early part of the day getting some food made, so that they didn't have to worry about cooking later on. There wasn't anything on the agenda for the rest of the weekend; since it was Saturday, no one had to be anywhere the next day. Carole had work, but not til late Sunday night, so there was no hurry to do anything.

Blaine and Finn were in the living room on the floor playing with Zoe, while Burt and Cooper were watching - what else - college football, though they kept sneaking glances at the trio on the floor. Zoe was determined to crawl, though it seemed Finn was the one getting frustrated. It was only a matter of time before she got moving, as she had mastered the act of rocking her body back and forth. Blaine knew it would probably still be a few weeks before she was doing laps around the couch.

She just hadn't quite figured out yet how to move forward and _keep going_.

"Come on Zo-bug...we know you can do this." Finn sighed as Zoe cooed at him.

Blaine was lying on his side with his head propped onto his hand. "Maybe she needs a little space...it's not like she needs to be crawling tonight." He smiled as he watched Zoe fall back to sit on her bottom. "And it's kinda cool that she knows how to go from sitting up to all fours and back again. That's an accomplishment in itself."

Finn groaned as Zoe blew a spit bubble at him. "I get that, but don't you wanna see her do more? You guys are leaving on Monday to go back to Dalton. What happens when you guys come back? What if she's walking by then?!"

"You are being overly dramatic, Finn," said Kurt. He walked into the room and knelt in front of Zoe and wiped her mouth. "She'll crawl when she's good and ready. She's nearly there as it is, and that's good enough for me." Kurt smiled as he watched Zoe roll over onto her back. He couldn't resist tickling her and watching her kick her legs.

Blaine laughed and quickly reassured Finn. "Besides, the second she starts moving, we'll be filming it and calling you to get on Skype so you can watch. We wouldn't keep something like that from you guys."

"Thanks dude." Kurt rolled his eyes at the miserable look on Finn's face. Kurt secretly felt the same way, as Zoe really was so close to fully crawling. "I'm gonna go snag some chips. Anyone want anything?" The couple shook their heads, though Burt and Cooper followed Finn into the kitchen. Kurt watched Zoe roll over again and resumed her previous rocking position on all fours.

"He's got a point though."

"Hmm?" asked Kurt.

"She is so close, and you can tell by looking at her she knows what she needs to do. So how come she doesn't just do it already?" asked a slightly whiny Blaine.

"Honey, no offense, but maybe you need a break. Go get a snack and on your way back, make a bottle for Zoe, please. I promise I'll yell if anything happens, alright?"

"Um, sure," he said. "Maybe she just needs less people hounding her. Be right back."

Zoe's eyes followed Blaine as he left the room, and Kurt noticed an increase in her rocking. He got on the floor a little ways in front of her and made sure he had her eyes on him. He mimicked her rocking motion and then proceeded to slowly inch his way toward her. He saw her move one hand an inch forward, before moving it back again.

"I know you can do this, baby girl. This would be a real treat if you could just move a little bit for me. You're driving Daddy and Uncle Finn crazy, do you know that?" He laughed as she smiled and made a noise. "Of course you do. Now, watch Mama. All you have to do is put that rocking to use, and move a hand and a knee at a time." Kurt almost said 'one foot in front of the other', but that wasn't entirely right.

Kurt suddenly had an idea.

_"Put one foot in front of the other. And soon you'll be walking cross the floor. Put one foot in front of the other. And soon you'll be walking out the door."_

Kurt quietly sang while he demonstrated for Zoe the proper way to crawl. The family had spent Christmas watching all the classic movies, one of which being _Santa Claus is Coming to Town_. Zoe in particular loved the little penguin and had been the most excited by that song. She'd been spending the last week trying to crawl since they watched it.

_"You never will get where you're going, If you never get up on your feet. Come on, there's a good tail wind blowing - A fast walking man is hard to beat."_

Kurt was now a good foot or so away from Zoe and was watching to see if she would make a move. He saw her eyes shift to the side, and he turned to see her teddy bear, which he then picked up and placed in front of him. He made it look like it was dancing to the song and he watched Zoe's eyes light up.

_"Put one foot in front of the other. And soon you'll be walking cross the floor. Put one foot in front of the oth-"_ Kurt gasped and almost dropped the toy on the floor, stunned by what he was seeing.

Zoe was crawling.

It wasn't by any means perfected, but she was no longer stationary and coming closer to him. He slipped backwards a bit while yelling for his family to come back into the room.

Blaine was the first one to run in. "Kurt, what's wr-" Blaine's mouth dropped open and he stared at Zoe slowly making her way towards Kurt. Cooper and Finn wore similar looks, while Burt and Carole just looked on with big smiles on their faces. Kurt had stopped moving when they'd entered the room, and as soon as Zoe reached him, he picked her up and cuddled her close.

"What-"

"How-"

Blaine and Finn couldn't put together a coherent thought, so while they tried to get a hold of themselves, Carole lowered herself to the floor.

"I told them she needed a focal point, but no - don't listen to a mother who's done this before." Kurt and Carole shared a laugh, as Blaine and Finn dropped to the floor as well. Cooper took pity on them and asked the million dollar question.

"Don't leave us in suspense, Kurt. How'd you get her to crawl? Those two were trying for over an hour to get her going."

Kurt smiled as he looked at Zoe cuddling her bear.

"She just needed a little push in the right direction."

"Put her down - I wanna see her do it again...please." Kurt almost gave into their puppy eyes - almost.

"She needs her bottle first and a break. Then we'll try again." Finn opened his mouth to protest.

"No Finn."

Zoe got to show off a little bit more after her bottle, as promised. Finn and Blaine couldn't get enough of her newest skill, but eventually Zoe got tired of it and stayed in one place on her blanket. They each tried turning her over to get her moving again, but she wasn't having it. When she started to whimper, Kurt decided that enough was enough and rescued Zoe from their evil clutches. Finn and Blaine thought about complaining, but when Kurt replied with his 'mama bear bitch face', they quickly gave up.

Zoe settled down in no time once Kurt got situated. Since Blaine and Finn were being 'punished', they were forced to get comfortable on the floor with some pillows. Burt and Cooper each took a recliner, while Carole, Kurt and Zoe were sharing the couch. The threesome made a cute picture, as Kurt was resting his head on Carole's lap, and Zoe was cuddled on his chest. She fell asleep listening to Kurt's heartbeat.

* * *

The boys learned their lesson.

When Zoe was placed back on the floor after her nap, they stopped hounding her to crawl, and let her do what she wanted. For a while, she just bat at her little play set, but once she grew tired of it, she rolled over and shuffled out of the way on her belly. Once she deemed herself clear of it, she shifted back onto all fours and slowly but surely started to crawl around the blanket, to the delight of everyone there. Kurt kept an eye on her, but as long as she was smiling, he let her go.

Eventually she ended up in Finn's lap, where he then picked out a book to read to her. Finn made up different voices for the characters and laughed as she smacked the book in his hands. Blaine took advantage of her attention being elsewhere, and cleaned up the few things that were scattered on the floor. Once he saw that he had everything back in its rightful place, he decided that he'd earned the chance to borrow Kurt for a little while.

It was their anniversary, after all.

Stealing Kurt wasn't as hard as he thought it was gonna be. Burt and Cooper were too busy watching the game. Finn had Zoe. Carole was reading a book. With everyone doing their own thing, it didn't take much persuasion on Blaine's part to convince Kurt to come upstairs for a minute...or twenty.

While they had exchanged gifts on Christmas, there was one gift that Blaine kept off to the side. Blaine was a little worried about giving it to him, as it was something he made himself. While he was pretty confident that Kurt would like it, for a moment, he almost wasn't going to give it to him. Kurt walked into the bedroom first, and was confused when Blaine locked the door behind him.

"Blaine, what's going on? Why'd you lock the door?"

"So no one can interrupt us," Blaine said with a smirk.

Kurt stared for a moment, before answering him with a grin of his own. "Oh yeah? And why do we not want to be interrupted?" he asked.

Blaine walked up to Kurt and wrapped his arms around his waist, leaving Kurt to wrap his arms around Blaine's neck. "Because I wanna be selfish and have you all to myself for a little bit. As long as you don't mind, of course."

"Well, seeing as how we're already up here and everyone else is busy…" Kurt smiled as he pulled Blaine in for a kiss. Blaine - not to be outdone - pulls Kurt closer and keeps their lips together until the need for air became a necessity. They were panting slightly as they separated.

"Wow. Not that I'm complaining, but what brought that on?" asked Kurt.

"There's something that I have for you, and I just needed a little courage. I couldn't think of a better way to get it." Blaine grinned as Kurt blushed.

"Like I said - no complaints. What are you so worried about?" Blaine gently tugged Kurt over to the bed and sat him down. Kurt watched as Blaine walked into the closet, coming out seconds later with his hands behind his back. Kurt couldn't tell what Blaine was hiding, but he starting to feel anxious as Blaine came back and knelt on the floor in front of him.

"Kurt. It's been a year already, and it's been one of the best years of my life. I never expected to meet someone like you. You were the first person outside of Dalton that gave a damn about me. I must have played it off our first meeting well because I was nervous as hell when you walked over to me and complimented me on my bowtie. My friends and Cooper always made fun of me for them, but even they had to admit that they worked for me.

"When school started, I was afraid that I was going to never see you again. The next thing I know, you're stopping me on the staircase and asked what all the fuss was about. While I had half-hoped you were there to see me, I knew that you were probably sent to spy on us. You saw us perform, but didn't leave, and I knew that I couldn't let this chance slip away.

"Then I did something crazy and asked for your number, and wasn't I surprised when you happily gave it to me. Even though the reason you transferred was horrible, I was so happy that I would be able to spend every minute of every day with you. Then Zoe came along and all I could think of was how awesome it was that the three of us made up the cutest family ever, and from that moment on, I never wanted to think how life would be like without you. "

Kurt couldn't believe what he was hearing. Though Blaine wasn't one for grand romantic gestures, he more than made up for it with his intimate, loving speeches. His heart just about stopped, however, when Blaine revealed what he had been hiding behind his back.

It was a small box.

"Blaine - if that's what I think it is -"

Blaine chuckled. "Breathe Kurt. It's not what you're thinking…close - but not quite."

Curiosity sufficiently peaked, Kurt took the box from Blaine and opened it. His jaw dropped and he once again forgot how to breathe. "Blaine?" he gasped. "What? I don't…"

"Do you like it? It's a promise ring that I made out of gum wrappers - our favorites. I'm honestly not sure if it's totally wearable, but -" Kurt threw his arms around Blaine's neck with enough enthusiasm that he slid off the bed and ended up in front of Blaine. He let go just before they both would have crashed to the floor.

"I don't care. I love it. But what brought this on? What are you promising?"

"To always love you. To defend you whether you're right or wrong. To surprise you. To always pick up the phone when you call no matter what I'm doing. To bake you cookies at least twice a year- more if I can manage it. To kiss you wherever, whenever, and however you want. But most importantly: to make sure you remember how perfectly imperfect you are."

"Oh Blaine," Kurt said with tears in his eyes, "I don't know what to say."

"Just promise me that this year won't be our last. I can't see a future without you and Zoe in it."

"It won't be our last, not by a long shot." Kurt pulled Blaine into another kiss, this one short and sweet. "Just so we're clear - this isn't an engagement, right? Because while I see a fantastic future for us, we're still kinda young for that."

"No fiancé of mine is going to walk around with a ring like this on their finger. Now a ring pop, on the other hand…" Blaine could barely keep a straight face, Kurt rolling his eyes.

"As long as it's a cherry ring pop, or even blue raspberry. I refuse to wear one that clashes with my wardrobe."

Blaine laughed, "Duly noted." He snuck in another quick kiss before helping Kurt off of the floor. "Now, why don't we head back downstairs and enjoy the rest of the evening...we still have some time to kill before the ball drops."

"I have a better idea of how to waste some time, but you're right – we should head back before someone comes up here looking for us."

"Does that mean I can cuddle with you on the couch? The floor isn't that bad, but I miss you." Blaine hoped that pouting and puppy eyes would get him back into Kurt's good graces.

Kurt laughed, "How could I saw no to a face like that? Besides, you need to be close by. Once midnight hits, I expect a kiss from you."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Hey, what was your better idea?" Blaine asked.

"You have to wait til later to find out," said Kurt with a smirk.


	25. Thad and Sebastian Sitting in a Tree

**::peeking around the corner again:: Hey guys! I'm really sorry that this is so freakin' late. I hit another block on this and wasn't sure where to go (this is what happens when I don't leave cliffhangers). There are only a few months left to account for until it's graduation time. I've already decided that once we get to the month of June, that that will be the end of **_Pink/Purple._** But keep calm – it's only January.**

**Hopefully, the fact that **_Pink, Blue or Purple? _**is now up to 5 chapters has helped some of you cope in the meantime. If you haven't checked that out yet, you should. If you already have, then this chapter will give you some insight as to how a certain couple got together.**

**I will require some assistance from you lovely people. At the end of the chapter, you'll find out from Kurt about something that will be taking place within the next chapter or two. I need and would like suggestions - which you are more than welcome to incorporate into a review or a PM – for all of our characters. They do not have to be songs, and there is no limit to the number of suggestions you can make. You can be generic or specific, if there is something you'd like someone in particular doing. (Kurt and sai swords are very possible)**

**Thanks to all of you that have read, reviewed, and favorited. On that note, **_Pink _**is only in need of 9 more reviews to hit triple digits on its own, and if that happens, the next chapter will be up much sooner than a month. **

**In fact: If **_Pink_** hits 100, I'll post something before 2013 begins.**

**I still don't own Glee, nor do I have anything to do with **_Boys/Boyfriend_**. I thought this was one of the highlights from **_**Britney 2.0**_** and I changed some of the lyrics, as you'll see, to fit. **

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you, and considering recent events, take the time to remember your loved ones and give out hugs like it's going out of style. Prayers to those affected by the shooting in Connecticut.**

**So without any further ado:**

_**Thad and Sebastian Sitting in a Tree...**_

* * *

January hit, which signaled the end of winter break, and while no one was looking forward to going back to school, Finn was by far the most upset. When Kurt and Blaine were packed up and ready to head back to Dalton, Finn had actually taken Zoe and locked them in his room. Apparently, he was making good on his previous threat that Zoe was staying put in Lima so that he didn't miss anything.

Kurt, however, disagreed.

Since banging on the door didn't work, nor did they have a key for the lock, Kurt did the next best thing. He got a screwdriver and proceeded to take the lock off the door himself. Finn, in his brief moment of glory, had not thought to barricade the door. He also didn't think his plan through, as he didn't have any food or diapers in the bedroom. It only took a few moments before he had to face a very angry Kurt.

"Finnegan Christopher Hudson, are you out of your mind?!" Kurt didn't acknowledge the snorts of laughter he heard coming from Blaine, Burt, and Carole in the hallway. "You never take a baby away from their parents, just to lock yourselves in a room! You were fine last night after we set up Skype dates for you guys to see her. You're acting like we're moving somewhere far, far away and you're never going to see us again. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Finn was afraid to answer the question. He'd cringed when Kurt started with his full name - his mother had been the only one to ever do that - and it'd been a very long time since she'd done that. At the moment, Kurt was standing in front of his with one foot tapping the floor and his arms crossed in front of him, one hand still holding the screwdriver. Finn bit his lip and decided to be honest.

"I don't want you guys to leave yet."

Kurt dropped his arms and sighed, somehow knowing that was the crux of the problem. Spending the last two weeks home had been awesome - he'd never deny that - but there was no way he could skip his last semester of high school. Did he miss being home every day? Of course. But that was the sacrifice he and his family made in order to keep him safe.

"Finn, I don't want us to leave either, but we don't have a choice. We're running late as it is and we have a curfew to make - the penalty of which is not being allowed off campus for two weeks. If there were some way for us to see you guys more often, don't you think we'd be doing that already? We're still going to have weekends, and if there are half-days, you know we'll make plans to meet up."

"But it's not the same, Kurt." Finn looked so sad and pathetic, that it was making Kurt feel bad. In retrospect, he should've known that this was going to happen. Finn had been acting strange that last couple of days - keeping Zoe close by, holding her as long as possible - so it was no wonder that he was upset.

Blaine walked into the room then, knowing that they really needed to head out, but didn't want to hurt Finn's feelings any more than they were.

"Finn, you know you can come visit us too, right? If there's a weekend when we can't leave school, there's no reason you can't come to us." Finn seemed to perk up at that. "Most of the time when we can't come it's because of rehearsal or projects. You're more than welcome to hang out at Dalton...even if that's just an excuse for you to play with Zoe."

"Really?"

"Of course," said Kurt. "Usually, Zoe hangs out with whoever is free at the time. Warbler rehearsal is tough because most of the time, she's stuck in her playpen, and she can only tolerate that for so long before she gets cranky. She'd be much happier playing with you. As long as you're not reporting anything back to Rachel, I don't see the guys having a problem with you tagging along."

"Just bring the air mattress with you; otherwise, you're sleeping on the floor," said Blaine.

Finn thought it through and nodded. He hugged Zoe once more before handing her back to Kurt. "You'll let us know when she does more cool tricks, right?"

"Definitely," Kurt promised. "We'll let you know when we get to school, alright? If we're all free this weekend, you can come and spend it with us. Deal?"

"Deal." Burt and Carole just watched the boys handle it from the doorway, happy that they were able to resolve this with little bloodshed. Burt looked at the clock and knew that if they didn't leave now, they'd be in trouble.

"Alright, everyone good now? Then get in the car and go. I'll call Dalton and let them know you may be a few minutes late...can't have Finn come to school if you boys are grounded." Kurt and Blaine hugged them goodbye and rushed out of the house, Burt following them, leaving Carole and Finn in the bedroom.

"Wait - that part was true? I thought they were just making that up. I didn't think a school could ground you."

Carole shook her head at her son. "Finn, why would they make that up? And yes, since Dalton is a boarding school, the students have curfews that when not adhered to, result in penalties. That's why sometimes they have to rush back like a bat out of hell if they're late or the weather's bad. Haven't you ever wondered why Burt or I have called Dalton as soon as they've left later than they wanted to?"

"I never really paid attention...are they gonna get back in time?"

"Well, they would've been better off leaving forty-five minutes ago," she said with a stern look on her face. Finn ducked his head as he blushed in embarrassment. "But for now, why don't we get your lock back on the door, okay?"

* * *

Kurt's car may have been the last car to arrive back in the Dalton parking lot, but at least they weren't the last ones outside. Thankfully, there hadn't been much traffic, but it had started to snow again. Zoe seemed to like the snow, but did not like the cold, and the temperature had dropped since leaving Lima. The moment she was taken out of the car, she was crying. Kurt had her bundled up well and even wrapped her up in her blanket a little tighter. He held her close to his chest, which calmed her down, but prohibited him from being able to grab anything else out of the car.

"Need a hand or two?" Kurt turned around to see Thad and Sebastian standing behind them.

"Hey guys, and yes, if you wouldn't mind. Have you been here long?"

"Got back an hour or so ago," said Thad. "We brought out stuff in before the snow started, so we've been helping everyone else get inside in the meantime."

"Yeah," said Sebastian, "we were bored."

Kurt laughed as he tried to grab Zoe's bag, only to have her protest him moving. Sebastian took the bag from Kurt, leaving him to handle Zoe. "She not a fan of the cold?"

"Not really, though she likes the snow," said Kurt. "She wasn't crying this much when we left Lima, but she's been fussy since this morning."

"I've got your bag and hers, so why don't we go inside?"

Kurt looked back to Blaine, who waved him off. "We'll be right behind you, Kurt."

Thad watched them walk away, only to see Blaine smirking at him as he closed the door. "What's with that look, Anderson?"

"So did you ask him yet?" asked Blaine. "I know that look; I had the same look before me and Kurt started going out. Hell, I'm told I _still_ have that look."

Thad blushed in response. "I don't have a _look_...shut up."

Blaine laughed, "Oh no - I'm not passing this up. I know you went on a date or two."

"Three," Thad murmured.

"So are you two official yet?"

"...not exactly."

"Well, what are you waiting for? He's head over heels in love with you. Take it from me - don't waste valuable time by being oblivious. You guys are perfect for each other."

"You think so?" Thad asked, hopeful.

"Totally. I'd bet you anything that Kurt is grilling Seb for details as we speak...and don't think that means you're in the clear."

* * *

"Spill."

"What?"

"Don't what me," said Kurt as they walked up the stairs. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. How was your break? What did you do with Thad?" Sebastian blushed. "HA! I knew it! You two went out! Where'd you go?"

"Three times." Sebastian blushed harder. "We went out three times, and he came over for dinner a couple times."

"You definitely in love with him now?"

"...maybe…" Kurt smiled, as he adjusted his hold on the slowly calming Zoe.

"Well don't make me drag it out of you, Seb...because you know I will."

Sebastian laughed, "Oh I know you will. It was only a coffee date...and a movie night...and dinner…" He got a glint in his eye as he recalled how those nights went. "He was a gentleman no matter what we did and we had a great time just hanging out together. Did you know that he only lives like fifteen minutes from my house? We took turns going over each other's houses and had movie marathons and played in the snow...it was just great." He finished off with a dreamy sigh.

"Oh yeah - you've fallen for him big time."

"That's not even the best part." Kurt tilted his head, curious. "He may have kissed me at midnight on New Year's."

"Aww...I'm so happy for you guys! So are you official now or what?"

"Well, he hasn't really asked me yet, but we haven't exactly talked about it either. Is that bad?"

"Of course not; there's no need to rush a relationship. As long as you're happy, that's good enough for me."

"Thanks Kurt, that means a lot."

"Now - details."

* * *

_"I'm sorry I was an idiot this morning. I was just in the early stages of Zoe withdrawal or something."_

Finn was busy asking for forgiveness over the phone. Kurt had let them know via text when they got back to Dalton, but apparently Finn was hoping for a Skype call. As it turned out, Kurt had had to call Finn anyway, as he'd found one of his notebooks in with Kurt's stuff, and wanted to make sure it wasn't something he needed the next day.

"Finn, while that may be true, I expected better from you. I know that it's hard not seeing her as often as you'd like to, but it can't be helped. Unless you can magically move Dalton closer to Lima, you're going to have to suffer the distance like the rest of us."

Finn sighed. _"I get that, Kurt, but it still sucks. You guys didn't get in trouble did you?"_

"We were one of the last ones here, but we made it back in time for check-in. I'm just glad Dad called ahead for us - you have no idea how much that helps."

_"Mom told me about it when you left. I knew you had to be back by a certain time, but I didn't realize that it was _that_ much of a big deal. I forget how much better Dalton is from McKinley sometimes. Half of the time our teachers don't even ask for late passes."_

"It's alright, Finn. Just next time - don't try kidnapping my daughter unless you've planned it out first, okay?"

_"...seriously?"_

"Goodbye Finn." Kurt hung up the phone and groaned. Blaine looked on in amusement.

"You okay, Kurt?"

"Finn just amazes me sometimes, that's all. Is Zoe asleep yet?"

"No. She's been really cranky since this morning," he said as he tried to feed her. "I don't get it. She was fine last night. You think she's just homesick? That was the longest she'd been back home."

Kurt had another thought. "It's also the longest she's been off her usual routine - all three of us, really. Our week is usually school all day, Warblers meetings in the afternoon, tutoring and studying at night, with trips to Lima most weekends. We haven't had that for two weeks, and babies are used to schedules."

"You make a fair point," Blaine conceded.

"And she might be getting an ear infection. I saw her rubbing at her left ear a few times since she woke up. Does she have a temperature?"

Blaine felt her forehead and cheek, but if she had one it was slight. "She's warm, but no more than usual. Is the first aid kit nearby? The thermometer should be in there."

Kurt went into the bathroom and came back with the thermometer and a warm washcloth. Zoe did have a slight temperature, but after they got her comfortable with the warm compress behind her ear, she finally started to settle down. Both Kurt and Blaine sighed in relief.

"If she's still hurting in the morning, I'll check with Nurse Cara. Mom restocked the kit while we were home with a few additions - one of which looks like ear drops of some sort."

Blaine shuddered. "I hate ear drops, or any kind of drops for that matter, especially when my father had to give them to me. He never tried to make it feel a little less painful, and it took back-to-back infections when I was younger to find out that whatever he gave me was stuff you weren't supposed to use on four-year-olds. Cooper was the only one that could give me drops without me having a fit."

"Well let's not get ahead of ourselves," Kurt said, knowing that his parents were a sore spot. "Most of the time, it's easier to not resort to medicine and give your body a chance to get rid of it first. She may not even have a full out infection; it might just be her reacting to the cold weather."

"She was fine when we played in the snow," Blaine retorted.

"Until her earmuffs and hat fell off. Why do you think I love scarves so much? It's the only way I can stand the cold."

* * *

Like Kurt had predicted, Zoe seemed back to her old self by the following day. It was hard to tell who missed who more: Zoe or the Warblers. By lunchtime, no one could tell that she'd been a fussy mess the night before. Kurt did bring her to Nurse Cara - just as a precaution - but she agreed that Kurt and Blaine had it handled rather well, and for now, there were no signs of infection.

The Warblers took turns talking about what they did during break and what everyone got for Christmas. A few of them had traveled for the holiday and told of their tales of traffic jams and the less than cheerful drivers they came across. Some of them started discussing cheats and tricks they'd discovered playing their new games, while others complained about the College Bowl games.

Jeff and Kurt were at one end of the table talking with Sebastian, while he fed Zoe. While they weren't an official couple yet, that didn't stop Jeff from asking how Sebastian's break went. Kurt had kept quiet, considering it was Sebastian's news to share, so Kurt was laughing at how flustered the blond was getting, as Sebastian was being mean and not saying much.

"Come on, Seb!" Jeff whined, "Kurt won't tell me anything, and with the way you're staring at Thad - that just screams 'I know something you don't know'."

"Well then I'm doing something right because I do know something you don't know," Sebastian said with a smirk. Jeff banged his head against the table, to Kurt's amusement.

Now while this may have escaped the notice of most of the table, but Blaine noticed the trio at the other end before Nick and Thad. He wondered for a moment what was going on, but seeing the smirk on Sebastian's face and Kurt's pathetic attempt to contain his laughter, he figured out why Jeff was hurting himself. Blaine nudged Nick and pointed to the other end of the table.

"You might wanna check on your boyfriend before he hurts himself."

"What the - why is he banging his head against the table?" Nick pushed himself up, intending to save Jeff before he really hurt himself. Blaine pushed him back into his seat.

"He'll be fine; Kurt won't let him do that for long. Besides - he probably brought him on himself."

"What do you mean?" Nick asked.

"He's probably trying to get details about how his break went," said Thad, "and Seb is more than likely withholding information."

"Okay - I'm confused. What happened over break?"

"Well," Blaine started, as Thad blushed, "Thad over here has finally realized that he's in love with Sebastian. They spent most of break together."

"Seriously?! Thad, that's awesome! Are you two going steady then, or what?" asked Nick.

"I'd like us to be...we haven't exactly had a chance to talk about it yet."

"Well, we're happy for you, but if you'll excuse me, I'm going to retrieve my boyfriend before he pulls his hair out. I'll see you guys in a bit." Nick stood up and quickly made his way towards Jeff, dragging him out of the room. Thad and Blaine made eye contact with Sebastian and Kurt, the four of them sharing a look as they heard Jeff whine to Nick.

"So Thad, are you just gonna ask him or did you have something special in mind?" asked Blaine, as they walked out of the cafeteria. He was carrying Zoe and on his way to the Warblers' room; Thad was on his way to the library.

Thad bit his lip in thought. "I don't want to make him uncomfortable, but do you think it'd be too much if I serenaded him during rehearsal?"

"Are we talking about another date or asking to be his boyfriend?"

"I wanna be able to say 'Sebastian Smyth is my boyfriend'...another date would be an awesome bonus."

Blaine smiled at Thad. "I don't see that being a problem. You know what you're going to sing?"

"I have an idea - I'll run it by you later."

"You better."

* * *

Thad had not one, but two, song ideas in mind. He needed some assistance putting them together, however, and decided on asking for some outside help. He knew that he could have gone to any of the Warblers for help, but he wanted to surprise everyone at the same time. Since they were friends with the New Directions - who also had plenty of experience with mash-ups - who better to talk to than one of them?

After knowing each other for a year, it was hard to keep the Warblers and the New Directions separate from the other's conversations. If someone was being a little more self-centered than usual, they were told to 'stop having a Rachel day'. Whenever a bad day happened and one became a 'super bitch', to put it mildly, they were referred to as Santana's alter ego 'Auntie Snix'. If a couple was being too lovey-dovey that were told to tone it down and 'quit trying to one up Klaine/Niff/Tike', as they were the cutest and longest-lasting couples. And while they reserved the teasing for when it was needed, different members had found friends on the opposing team.

Case in point: Thad and Artie.

Surprisingly, they both had similar tastes in music, though they'd agreed that Artie had a better knack at - and the attitude for - rapping. There were two songs that Thad had in mind to put together that needed some tweaking, and a little practice in, before he would even consider singing it in front of the group. Thad didn't have second thoughts about it until he heard silence on the other end of the phone. Thinking Artie had put him on mute or was just laughing at his expense, Thad had hung up feeling like a failure.

As it turned out, Artie's lack of response on the phone wasn't because he was laughing at him. He'd had a sudden stroke of genius and didn't want to lose his train of thought, so he zoned out for a minute. Not fifteen minutes later, Thad got a text from Artie, telling him to check his email. There, he found an outline of the two songs he wanted...with a few modifications.

Artie told him he was on his own when he went to perform it, because while he'd love to help out, he wouldn't be able to come to Dalton. Then, he suggested asking Blaine for assistance, as he knew from hearing the girls gossip, that he sang to Kurt and Zoe all the time, so who better to ask for help? Artie did say, however, that he expected to hear it before it was performed. A couple of days later, Thad took him up on his offer and was given Artie's stamp of approval.

Since Blaine already knew, and Kurt suspected he was up to something, David was the only one that Thad had to talk to about his little performance. He was met with a thumbs up from the rest of the council, and various signs of encouragement from the rest of the group, who had promised to keep it quiet from Sebastian. They had even offered to be his backup while he sang, which gave him an extra boost of confidence, because if any of them thought this was a bad idea, they wouldn't have even offered.

Now, all that was left to do was to sing it to Sebastian, and if all went well, he'd have a boyfriend and a date for Saturday.

* * *

Sebastian could tell something was up, but the Warblers weren't talking, which was starting to make him panic a bit.

Thad had been acting odd and had been avoiding him; Blaine and David knew what was going on, but weren't saying anything; the underclassmen, he'd caught singing under their breath; the rest of the seniors were keeping their distance. And if Jeff was anything to go by, it was something intended for him, as Nick had to keep dragging him away whenever he saw Sebastian; the blonde was bouncier than usual.

The only one that was still talking to him as if nothing was going on was Kurt. Sebastian wasn't sure if that meant Kurt knew what was going on, or if his poker face was just that good, but he'd take what he could get. Kurt knew that Thad was singing to Sebastian, but Blaine never told him that he was going to be singing as well; Kurt thought his boyfriend was just helping him. He didn't even know what song it was.

When Thad had asked for his help, all Blaine had told Kurt was that he was helping him and they'd only need a couple of days, so it was Kurt's job to keep Sebastian busy. They were going to leave it to the juniors, but after two slip-ups, they were relieved of their duties. Since neither of them knew entirely what was going on, Kurt and Sebastian passed the time doing homework and playing with Zoe.

A few days later during lunch, Blaine asked Kurt if he wouldn't mind being in charge of Sebastian after school. The boy in question was starting to become paranoid and wasn't in the cafeteria with them. Kurt was glad to hear that Thad was finally doing something today because Sebastian was starting to doubt their tentative relationship, and at the moment, wasn't talking much to anyone but Kurt.

Kurt's last class of the day wasn't that far from Sebastian's, so as soon as the bell rang, Kurt made sure to be at the door when Sebastian walked out, grabbing him before he could run off. Though it was in no way threatening, Sebastian's anxiety was at its peak, and he almost punched Kurt before he realized it was him. Kurt barely got him into an empty classroom before Sebastian started to have a full blown panic attack.

"Seb, it's okay, look at me." Kurt held Sebastian's face in his hands and was trying to get him to focus on him. "Take a deep breath and open your eyes."

Sebastian tried listening, but he couldn't remember the last time he was this wound up. He must have been paying some attention because he felt the ache in his chest start to go away. He felt Kurt rubbing little circles on his cheeks, and he was surprised to see the amount of concern on Kurt's face.

"Kurt? What?"

"I was waiting for you to leave the classroom. If I had realized how jumpy you were, I would have never gotten your attention like that. I'm sorry I scared you."

"I almost hit you," Sebastian whispered. "I could've really hurt you."

"And you would have been justified in doing so," Kurt said. "Can I give you a hug now?" Sebastian nodded and held onto Kurt tightly for a few minutes, while Kurt waited for him to calm down.

"I'm sorry, Kurt. Everyone's been weird lately but you and I don't know why, and Thad won't spend time with me, and I don't understand -"

"Don't work yourself up again. Just breathe for a few minutes, ok? I'm going to let you in on a secret, but not the whole secret. Do you want to know why everyone has been acting strange?" Kurt felt Sebastian nod into his shoulder. "Thad has been working on a surprise for you, but I won't tell you what it is. He asked Blaine for help, and the rest of the Warblers know about it too. They're all excited about it and have been having a hard time keeping it from you. They weren't ignoring you on purpose; they're just horrible secret-keepers."

Kurt felt they were getting somewhere, when he heard Sebastian let out a little chuckle. "So they're not plotting something horrible? It's a nice surprise?"

"The nicest, and you can guarantee that I'll be speaking to the others on what is acceptable behavior for keeping a surprise, a surprise. I know that they didn't mean anything by it; they're just amateurs."

Sebastian laughed. "Well, they do need a lesson in subtlety. For a while, I thought I was going to get whacked or something."

"We're not the mob, Seb," Kurt said, as he rolled his eyes. "Now are you ready to see what Thad has for you? My cell is buzzing, which means Blaine is looking for me, and I can only deal with one of us breaking down at a time. You can even have first dibs on Zoe today."

Sebastian took one last deep breath before nodding in agreement. "I'm ready if you are. Let's go."

* * *

The Warblers were waiting for their two missing members, but started to worry when twenty minutes after the bell rang, they were nowhere to be found. No one was worse than Thad, though Blaine and Jeff were close behind. Both had tried calling and texting Kurt, but their attempts went unanswered. They were seriously considering calling the whole thing off, when the doors flew open to a very annoyed Kurt.

"Kurt! Where have you -" Blaine was got off with a wave.

"I'll deal with you lot in a minute," Kurt said as he took Zoe from Nick. "Don't even think about moving." As quickly as he came in, he left, before retuning, all in the span of a minute. Kurt closed the door behind him and just stared at the group in front of him. Blaine tried again to ask what was going on, but one look from Kurt shut him down.

"Sebastian is outside, but he needs a minute. You people need to learn how to act normal when you play the 'I know something you don't know game', especially with someone that has anxiety issues!" Kurt looked around the room, and unsurprisingly, the only ones that seemed to be catching on were Blaine and Jeff.

"Oh crap."

"'Oh crap' is right. I went to pick Sebastian up to bring him here, but when I surprised him, he almost hit me. He was shaky and jumpy and had a minor breakdown before I was able to get him here. When dealing with someone like Seb, you have to be aware of what you're doing. A surprise is ruined when the one it's intended for is too scared to receive it."

Thad hadn't taken that into account when he first thought about doing this. Now he just hoped Sebastian would still talk to him. "Is he alright?"

Kurt softened a bit before answering. "He's better now that he's calmed down. I hope whatever it is you've been working on is worth it because Seb is in desperate need of you and Thad time."

"It will be." Kurt stared at him for a minute before leaving the room to retrieve Sebastian from the hallway. When they entered the room, Thad could still see a slight look of hesitation in Sebastian's eyes. He briefly thought about waiting for another day to do this, but then he decided that they'd all waited long enough.

As Thad worked up the courage to get the show on the road, Kurt gently took Zoe from Sebastian and found a couple of open seats for them, which just so happened to be front and center. Neither thought of it as odd, but judging by the looks on some faces, they were right where they were supposed to be. Blaine finally got up and dragged Thad so that, he too, was front and center and facing the group.

Thad cleared his throat before finally speaking. "Hey guys. Now I know it's been an interesting week, and while I would like to thank you all for not spilling the beans, I want to apologize to Sebastian. It wasn't out intention to make you feel like this, but please believe me, when I say it's for a good reason. I know you're all wondering exactly what I'll be doing today, as the only people who know are Blaine and Artie."

"Wait - what?" asked Kurt. Blaine shushed him and whispered to him to just wait.

"I had two songs in mind that I wanted to sing to a certain someone, but couldn't decide, so I did a mash-up. I'm sure you'll be able to tell what the songs are, and before you ask, yes some of the lyrics have been altered to fit the occasion. So if Blaine could come up here - this is dedicated to Sebastian."

Sebastian's jaw dropped as he watched Thad and Blaine take their blazers off and position themselves in front of them. There was an iPod dock sitting on the table, and with the push of a button, music started playing. Immediately, part of the group recognized the song, while the rest tried to deny knowing what it was. Thad started singing, making sure he was looking straight at Sebastian.

_I feel like I've been wanting you all my life _

_You don't understand _

_I'm so glad we're at the same place _

_At the same time_

_I spotted you dancin' _

_You made all the boys stare _

_Those lips and your green eyes _

_And the sexy hair_

Sebastian had noticed that Thad said 'green eyes' and he felt himself swoon a bit. The only thought he had at the time: _He knows my eye color._

_I should shake my thang _

_Make the world want you _

_Tell your boys you'll be back _

_I wanna see what you can do_

Blaine joined in on the next line, winking at Kurt and effectively making him blush.

_What would it take for you to just leave with me? _

_Not tryin to sound conceited but _

_You and me were meant to be (yeah) _

_You're a sexy boy, I'm a nice guy _

_Let's turn this dance floor into our own little nasty world!_

And not to be outdone, the rest of the Warblers helped Blaine, alternating lines and leaving Thad to sing by himself.

_If I was your boyfriend_

_Sometimes a guy just needs one_

_Keep you on my arm boy_

_To love him and to hold_

_I can be a gentleman_

_And when a boy is with one_

_If I was your boyfriend_

_Then he's in control!_

_If I was your boyfriend_

This next part was interesting because some of the younger Warblers had never heard Thad rap, and were, for lack of a better word, astonished that he could pull it off as well as he did.

_Tell me what you like yeah tell me what you don't _

_I could be your Buzz Lightyear fly across the globe _

_I don't never wanna fight yeah, you already know _

_Imma a make you shine bright like you're lying in the snow burr!_

Thad walked up to Sebastian and knelt in front of him, holding onto his hands. He wanted to make sure that he got his point across.

_Boyfriend, boyfriend, you could be my boyfriend _

_You could be my boyfriend until the world ends _

_Make you dance do a spin and a twirl and _

_Voice goin crazy on this hook like a whirl wind_

_Oh my god, _Sebastian said to himself, _he's totally asking me to be his boyfriend!?_ Thad stood up and made his way back to the front. Sebastian sent Kurt a look that was half shock, half excitement. Kurt just sent him a huge smile back as a response.

_If I was your boyfriend_

_Sometimes a guy just needs one_

_Keep you on my arm boy _

_To love him and to hold_

_I can be a gentleman_

_And when a boy is with one_

_If I was your boyfriend_

_Then he's in control!_

_If I was your boyfriend_

Thad separated from Blaine again and refocused his attention on Sebastian, who no longer looked panicked, and was hoping the song would end soon. The light blush on his face deepened, especially as he heard Thad sing the next part.

_So give me a chance, 'cause you're all I need boy_

_Spend a week wit your boy I'll be calling you my boyfriend_

_If I was your man _

_I'd never leave you Seb_

_I just want to love you, and treat you right_

The Warblers picked up the chorus for the last time, knowing that by the end of the song, they would have another couple to nag on in their midst.

_If he was your boyfriend_

_Sometimes a guy just needs one_

_Keep him on your arm boy_

_To love him and to hold_

_He can be a gentleman_

_And when a boy is with one_

_If he was your boyfriend_

_Then he's in control!_

_If he was your boyfriend_

_Can't live with 'em!_

_Can't live without 'em!_

The boys erupted into cheers and even Zoe was clapping along. The only one Thad had eyes on was Sebastian. He took a couple of breaths as he walked in front of his crush, and for the second time, knelt in front of him.

"So, if you haven't guessed yet, I was wondering if you'd like to be my boyfriend -"

Whatever speech Thad had in mind was disregarded as Sebastian threw his arms around him and kissed him speechless.

"YES! I don't care if you had a cute speech to go with that or what; I just want you." When he started to tear up, Thad panicked and quickly asked what was wrong.

"No one has ever sang to me, or wanted me like that. But Bieber and Britney?" he asked with a smirk.

"It kinda just happened that way. Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"You free on Saturday?"

* * *

Eventually, the boys gave up trying to rehearse. They ended up spending the time watching Zoe crawl on the floor and debating on what Thad and Sebastian's couple name needed to be, to the amusement of Kurt, Blaine, Jeff, and Nick. Kurt did have one announcement to make, something that he hadn't even told Blaine about yet.

"I have one quick announcement. I was talking to Kim and some of the Silvertones over the break and we came up with an interesting idea for both of our schools to do. Now as you all know, Dalton and Crawford have functions for students at both schools to mingle. While we were talking, we came up with something a little different than a dance or recital.

"We would like to hold a talent show. This way, anyone and everyone that wants to show off can do so, as long as it's not something you can get suspended, expelled, or arrested for - Headmaster Dippet's words, not mine. He's already approved it and cleared it with their headmistress, so all that we need to do is set up a panel with students from both schools to discuss details: when and where to do it; how many acts to have; any limits to what can be done; stuff like that.

"Anyone interested in the logistics - there will be a meeting at 3:30 tomorrow right here. We'll be having a conference call with Crawford at the same time, so that everyone can stay in the loop and get things moving. If you don't want to perform, you can offer to be an MC during the show. There will be faculty volunteering to be the judges. Any other questions can be answered at the meeting."

"Can we perform more than one act?"

"Can we do a solo and a group thing?"

"I wanna do something and MC."

"Are pets allowed?"

"We should play on kazoos!"

"Are you kidding me? That's not a talent!"

"Oh, just because you can't play it."

"You can't play a kazoo?"

Kurt ignored them and walked out with Zoe. "I don't get boys sometimes, Zoe. Half of the time, it goes in one ear and right out the other...oh well. I guess that means we get first dibs on dinner. I wonder how long it'll take before they realize tonight is pizza night."


	26. Talent Shows and Not so Lazy Sundays

**I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.**

**So…hi everyone. I really do apologize for the lateness of this chapter. Initially, I was going to write this out a completely different way, but it wasn't working so I took a break. Then everyone at work was getting sick – what with the flu and colds and stomach viruses – and I was doing okay until I got another sinus infection/borderline bronchitis thing. Then I made the mistake of trying to write this chapter while on medication, which was a terrible idea, and shall never be attempted ever again.**

**As we approach the one-year anniversary of **_Pink_**, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for all of you that have read, reviewed, followed and favorited my stories over the last 12 months. Now the one thing that would totally make my year would be getting 7 more reviews so that **_Pink _**can finally hit 100. Remember: smiley faces are totally acceptable.**

**As a side note, I am looking for some ideas for one-shots (and they don't have to be mpreg related). It's my hope that if I have people that are eagerly waiting for something that they really, really wanna see, that will get my butt moving to get things written and updated in a more timely manner. Review or send me a PM with prompts.**

**Oh – and I still don't own Glee.**

_**Talent Shows and Not so Lazy Sundays**_

* * *

Dalton and Crawford had hoped for a good turnout, but no one had anticipated the overwhelming response they received. The information meeting had been both a success and a headache, as Kurt and Kim - the ones in charge - had to field questions from students that wanted to perform and help out during the show.

While some questions were easy to handle, such as what songs and costumes were considered appropriate,

Kurt entered their dorm rubbing at his forehead. Blaine and Zoe followed him in and watched as Kurt flopped on the bed and groaned into his pillow. Blaine stifled a laugh and after getting Zoe settled, sat down on the bed and slowly rubbed Kurt's back.

"I know you said that you didn't want this to just be _American Idol: Dalton Edition_, but just how are you planning on pulling this off?"

Kurt just groaned again before turning around to face Blaine. "I haven't the faintest idea. I never expected so many people to actually sign up, especially with the acts they want to do. I mean, I'm glad it's not just us in the glee clubs wanting to sing, but come on - even with the stage completely free and clear, how can a group of guys do tricks on bikes?"

"Or the crazy slam dunk contest some of the guys want to do?"

"Or the routine the cheerleaders want to show off? I want to say yes to everyone, but I don't see how we can."

Blaine could tell that Kurt was starting to get frustrated, so he started to comb his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. "Well, what did the Heads say? I think that's when Zoe started to get cranky and we stepped out for a minute."

Normally, Kurt would punch anyone touching his hair, but Blaine was always the exception and Kurt had to admit it felt really nice. "They're letting us decide how to handle it. They're okay with anything - as long as it's not dangerous to the audience or those that are actually performing. I almost want to say 'no - pick something safer' but they sound like fun and I for one would love to see those routines."

Blaine laughed at Kurt's pouting. "I'm sure you'll come up with something that'll make everyone happy. I do have to ask though...sai swords?"

"What about them?"

"What exactly are you planning on doing with them? I know you know how to use them, but …"

"Oh - that. Well, some of the younger Warblers and Silvertones want to do an a cappella Nintendo medley, you know, like the one that got all of those hits on YouTube. Anyone that doesn't wanna sing is going to act out a bit from the games. They mentioned incorporating Mortal Kombat and thought my sai swords would be a cool and unexpected treat."

Blaine's hand stopped as he finished processing that thought. "That...sounds awesome. Hey, is Zoe gonna be in the show at all?"

"And what, pray tell, is our six-month old going to do, Blaine?" Kurt asked, amused.

"She doesn't have to do anything, really," said Blaine. "She could crawl on stage and shake her little booty like she does during rehearsals. She'll have the crowd eating out of her cute, little, pudgy hands."

Kurt lightly smacked Blaine's knee. "She does not have little hands."

Blaine just grinned. "But you didn't deny that they're pudgy. I know, I know," he stopped Kurt, who was about to protest, "I'm just teasing. But seriously - if she found her way on stage, she could just sit there and babble and I doubt anyone would really care."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "I'll keep that in mind if we need a distraction between acts. Are you going to do anything for the show?"

Blaine shrugged. "I don't know yet. A couple of the guys thought it would be cool to show off the fencing team. There's a bunch of us graduating and they could use the publicity to at least get people interested."

Kurt suddenly had a thought. "What if a bunch of the extracurricular clubs had a chance like that?"

Blaine looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the Warblers took care of this at the beginning of the year. We recruited enough newbies that once we graduate, they have enough to get them going next year. Some of the sports teams like the fencing team are going to be short-handed next season. What if we let them show off a bit? If nothing else, it'll help them come next year. Any of the extracurricular clubs that aren't necessarily something that can be acted out can have a few minutes to promote themselves."

"That's actually a really good idea, but how is this going to work? Having a duel on stage is easy, but the cheerleaders and basketball players need a little more space don't you think? I can't see the audience being on board with having to move to a different venue to watch a couple of groups when everyone else managed to stay in the auditorium."

Kurt sat up and stared at Blaine. "What if they didn't have to move, Blaine?"

Blaine just stared back. "You have that glint in your eye again...and that's either a good or a bad thing."

Kurt laughed, "No it's a good thing. Is there a projector in the auditorium like the one we used during _Uptown Girl_?"

Blaine stared off for a moment. "Yeah I think so, but I'm not sure what shape the screen is in."

"If there's a problem with it, I'm sure we can just borrow one. We could either set it up with Skype like we did in the beginning of the year or see if there's a way to set up a feed from the gym and broadcast it to the auditorium."

"This is going to turn into one hell of a show, isn't it?"

Kurt smirked, "Oh yeah. It's going to be something all right."

* * *

Kurt brought up his idea to the rest of the talent show committee before including the Heads of the schools in on it. As it turned out, making it happen was easier than any of them thought possible. Dalton had projectors to spare, so it was no problem setting up a connection from the gym to the auditorium. After replacing one screen and finding another in good shape, they did a test run. Once everything checked out, the various students hoping for the go ahead to do their acts, got it.

While this made many people happy, it also meant more work. Both schools had a basketball team, so they decided to do a joint slam dunk contest that would showcase awesome free throws. The cheerleaders from Crawford were going to show off their winning routine from Sectionals. Some of the boys from Dalton brought and/or made ramps to use for their act, which was being considered as the 'most likely act to involve an incident'.

Kurt and Kim were the ones in charge of their respective school, and neither had anticipated the amount of people that wanted to be involved. For every act that was added to the program, two more people asked to be an MC during the show, or wanted to help backstage. The faculties were even more surprised at the cooperation between the schools. The adults had expected there to be more competition than anything else, as even during the more formal functions, there was usually one or two minor tiffs. All of this love that no one had expected, prompted the Heads to do something that none of the current students had ever seen happen:

A change in the rules.

Back when Dalton was founded, it was made clear that the school was for boys only, and that girls were only seen as a distraction. Then Crawford was established with the same principle, but in regards to boys. It would take a few decades before the idea that the schools could co-mingle came about. That of course, led to both schools dealing with students sneaking out to visit siblings and significant others after hours.

As a way to combat this, visiting hours were introduced, which allowed for couples to meet and families to catch up, with the stipulation that while on campus, there were only a few locations where this could be done. Couples were not allowed in the dorms and sleepovers with siblings could only take place in the family rooms, which at the time were located near the deputy headmaster's room. The amount of after-hours rule breakers dropped significantly and life went on.

The talent show was bringing many groups together that neither school had been aware of hung out together. The basketball teams had been the first surprise. Sure, the teams had shared buses before when tournaments were at similar locations, but it came as a shock to find out that they had made an unofficial after-school league with some of the other sports teams.

Whenever there was a break or they wanted to practice, teams met up on the fields of either school for games of their own. The tennis teams took this as an opportunity to mix and match partners. The Crawford softball team went at it with the Dalton baseball team, with an ongoing debate of which sport was better. The soccer teams would start out playing normally, but more often than not became rugby games. The Warblers and the Silvertones had met up on occasions to do shows off-campus.

So for the first time in both schools' histories, there was a temporary lift on the rule regarding when and where students could hang out. Until the end of the talent show, boys were allowed to have the girls in the dorms - and vice-versa - as long as either one: the door remained open; or two: you wanted to subject yourself to random spot checks by the faculty. While many groups still stuck to using classrooms, the gym, or the auditorium, there were some that used the dorms to work independently.

While Headmaster Dippet and Headmistress Derwent were slightly wary at first for breaking tradition, it became apparent after only a couple of days, allowing the students just a little bit more freedom than they were used to was going over better than they'd thought possible. By the end of the second week, there was a final listing of everyone that would be performing, as well as who would be hosting during the show.

* * *

"Come on, Zoe. Please do Daddy a favor and eat something." Blaine was getting frustrated because besides refusing her bottle, Zoe was also not going for her mashed fruit.

"She's still not eating?" asked Nick.

"No, and I'm really starting to get concerned."

"Are her teeth bothering again?" asked Sebastian, as he took her from Blaine. "Lately when she's gotten like this, it's because of that."

"Kurt checked this morning and there aren't any new ones, though now that I think about it, she was in a better mood before Kurt left for that meeting with Madame Moreau." Blaine stopping eating for a second as a thought occurred to him. "Actually, she hasn't been her normal self for the last couple of weeks."

"Now that you mention it, she _has_ been really cranky lately, but only when Kurt's not around," Nick mused. "But that's never been that big of a problem before. Zoe's gotten used to not seeing him all day. What's changed?"

"You know, I think it's because of the talent show."

"What do you mean Seb?"

"Well, think about it. Zoe sees Kurt first thing in the morning and at night, yeah, but with classes, tutoring, rehearsals, and besides everything with the talent show, he hasn't been free for lunch since the beginning of the week. How much one-on-one time has Zoe had with him? "

"Not nearly as much as she's used to," Blaine answered. "You think that's why she's not acting like herself? Because she's missing Kurt?"

Nick and Sebastian looked at each other and shrugged.

"Maybe," said Sebastian. "I think Zoe is going through some separation anxiety. You said she was fine this morning, right?"

"Yeah. Kurt woke up with her like usual and got her ready to go, but he had to meet with Madame Moreau to return a batch of assignments he was helping her grade. Zoe was fine, but when Kurt went to put her down so he could leave, she started to cry and get upset. Once his attention was on her again, she calmed down enough for Kurt to check her teeth. As soon as he tried to leave a second time, she was upset again."

"Yeah I think this is from a lack of 'mama time'," said Sebastian, as he finally managed to get Zoe to eat, to Blaine's relief. "If you can hang on for another day, everything should go back to normal. The show is tomorrow, and once it's over, Kurt and Zoe need to spend some much needed time together. I'm sure she'll be back to her normal self in no time."

Nick agreed. "And if what Jeff's been saying is anything to go by, Kurt is in desperate need of some Zoe time too. Don't get me wrong - he's been having an awesome time getting this show together - but Kurt's mentioned that he can't wait for it to be over."

"He has been a little stressed out lately," said Blaine. "It's times like these when I wish he wasn't a perfectionist."

"He wouldn't be Kurt otherwise."

"Don't I know it."

"Hey, I forgot to ask," said Nick. "Did you ever get Kurt to agree to letting Zoe do something during the show? I think it'd be super cute if she did."

"You know, I asked him that a while ago, but he never gave me an answer about that. Come to think of it, I don't even know who's watching Zoe during the show."

"Dude, the show is tomorrow!" Nick exclaimed. "Last I checked, just about anyone that has ever watched Zoe is busy either performing or helping out."

Blaine glared at him. "I'm aware of that, Nicholas. I'm going to have to ask Kurt about that."

"Ask me what?"

The boys turned around to see their missing countertenor. Zoe of course was the happiest of the bunch and immediately started to babble and reach for Kurt, who didn't hesitate to take her and cuddle her against his chest.

"I was going to say that you must be a ghost, but since you're holding the baby, you must be the real thing," teased Sebastian.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Ha ha - that's hilarious. If you don't want me around, I'll just go somewhere else."

"Oh no you don't," said Blaine, as he pulled him close. "I've been seriously deprived from you lately, and I'm not letting you go until the bell rings. Where were you anyway?"

Kurt sighed. "You know how I needed to see Madame Moreau this morning? I had to ask her about those tests I graded for her last night because everyone failed it."

"What?" asked Nick. "How is that possible?"

"It turned out that the answer keys were labeled wrong - the ones that came with the Teacher's Edition that are supposed to be correct. When I saw her this morning, she gave me a revised answer key. We fixed most of them earlier, but I offered to come back during lunch to finish up. Now everything is fine and I'm hungry."

Blaine pushed his tray over to Kurt, glad that he had grabbed a few things in case Kurt managed to get to lunch on time. He offered to take Zoe so Kurt could eat, but she started to cry as soon as he tried. He put his hands up in defeat as he watched Kurt calm her down again.

"Has she been like this all day?" Kurt asked. "She was upset when I left this morning too."

"Let's just say that you two need to spend a day alone together as soon as possible. We were just talking about that before you showed up, as a matter of fact."

"Well, if you're not busy the day after tomorrow, the three of us could go out and do something. I know I've been busier than we're used to and even though we live in the same dorm, I miss you."

Blaine barely let Kurt finish talking before he swooped in and kissed him, to Zoe's utter delight. "Even if I was busy, nothing could keep me away."

Nick and Sebastian made gagging noises from the other side of the table before they stood up.

"Oh my god," Nick groaned, "you three are too damn sweet."

"Yeah," Sebastian agreed, "I think I need to go throw up now."

Blaine rolled his eyes at their theatrics, while Kurt just threw a fork at them as they walked away.

* * *

Even though Blaine knew that his boyfriend was awesome, Kurt had amazed everyone with how well the talent show went.

There had only been a handful of students who needed to change or modify their acts in order to go on, but essentially anyone that signed up was in the show. David and Michelle volunteered to take care of the big acts once they had gotten the okay to do part of the show in the gym. Since he was part of the basketball team and she was a cheerleader, they were already going to be there, which left Kurt and Kim in charge in the auditorium.

Well, Kurt, Kim and Zoe.

Blaine did eventually remember to ask Kurt where Zoe was going to be during the show and was surprised at what she would be doing. Kurt had admitted that he had initially forgotten about her in the grand scheme of things, but once he realized that he couldn't leave her with any of their friends, he had found several substitutes among the faculty. However, after seeing how clingy she had been at lunch the day before, Kurt couldn't bear to have her out of his sight for that long.

So instead, Zoe was going to help him and Kim keep everyone on schedule.

Just as David's ringtone had come to the rescue all those months ago, Zoe made sure everyone around knew that she wasn't the type of girl that could be ignored. Blaine had brought Zoe to some of the practices over the last few weeks, and whenever things got out of hand, all Zoe needed to do was clap her hands or start crying to get all eyes on her. Only then could adjustments be made and disagreements taken care of. And really - who could ignore such a pretty face?

Zoe inadvertently became the distraction the audience loved in the gap between acts, just as Blaine had suggested early on. Kurt eventually allowed whoever was the MC at the time to bring Zoe on stage so that she could look at the audience and wave when the next act was introduced. Everyone involved was convinced by the end of the show that no matter who won, Zoe had stolen the show. In the end, no one in the gym was badly hurt, the sound system worked flawlessly, and the amount of money that had been raised surprised even the faculty.

The scoring method had been something that Kurt in particular had been very adamant about from the start. Yes, they had judges who would pick the best acts - though it was hard to find one that _didn't _meet expectations - but Kurt was convinced that it was only fair to have the students' input as well. This had led to an unorthodox voting method that none of the adults had ever seen before.

Each act that went on received a bucket labeled with their name. From ten minutes before the show started to ten minutes after it ended, anyone and everyone was free to throw change into the bucket or buckets of their choice. The act with the heaviest bucket would receive bonus points during the final tally. The best part was that all of the money collected would be added into the Emergency Transfer Fund. It was thanks to the fund's existence that Kurt had been able to attend Dalton in the first place, and no one was against the idea.

After everything was said and done, the mixed group of the younger Warblers and Silvertones won with their Nintendo medley. Besides Kurt's cameo with his swords - which surprised the hell out of just about everyone present - they had also gone all out with costumes and props. Their act had been one of the longest, but judging by the cheers and applause, no one had minded.

There had been several acts that went on that were considered freebies, as they were not eligible to win. The Warblers reprised their Sectionals win, while the Silvertones put together something simple and sweet. The cheerleaders showed off their winning routine, the basketball teams held the slam dunk contest, and Blaine and Thad showed off their fencing skills with a duel.

The talent show was declared a tremendous success by both schools, with the promise to consider making it an annual event. Considering there were a lot of coin buckets, everyone would have to wait a few days to see how much money was raised for the fund. There had been some groans at that, but when Professor Dippet had asked for volunteers to manually count it out, he had to hold in a laugh as some muttered that patience was a virtue.

* * *

Blaine had to laugh as he watched Kurt sprawl onto the bed the same way he had several weeks ago. He and Kurt had hung back with a bunch of the students to clean up what little mess there was, as the visiting Crawford ladies had temporarily kidnapped Zoe for their entertainment. Once they had left, the boys of Dalton were free to enjoy their freedom from the girls, as some were claiming they'd had enough bonding time to last them a while.

Zoe was once again knocked out for the time being, exhausted from all the attention she'd gotten over the last few hours. Blaine tucked her in and made his way over to Kurt and contemplated how much trouble he'd get into if he happened to just jump on the bed.

"I can hear you scheming from here, and I promise that nothing good will come of it."

Blaine startled as he saw that Kurt had rolled over onto his side and was staring with his head propped on one hand. "Okay, seriously, how do you do that? It's like a superpower or something."

Kurt just grinned in reply. "It's a gift that I inherited from my mother, or at least that's Dad's take on it. Apparently, she was pretty good at doing that as well."

Blaine laughed as he got on the bed and copied Kurt's position. "Yeah, I think I remember Burt mentioning that once or twice. So, are you glad that the talent show is over?"

"Don't get me wrong - it was an absolute blast - but yeah, I'm glad. It was a lot of fun, however I think it was easier to plan a wedding in a week, than to plan the talent show in a month."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I had no idea that it would be this insane and dramatic."

"...Aren't weddings usually insane and dramatic?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. " I don't consider weddings a success _without_ insanity and drama. This was a talent show - something that was meant to be fun. Kim and I didn't realize just how many wannabe divas we have between the two schools."

"Well, considering how many of us fall into the typical 'only child from a rich family', it shouldn't have been that surprising."

"It wasn't that, really. It was more of the sibling rivalries and apparently bad break-ups and high school drama that drove us crazy. Putting the show in order was an absolute nightmare. We wanted to alternate the performances and not bunch them up. That's why we had one or two musical acts before one that had nothing to do with it - to break up the monotony. But we couldn't put a recently broken up couple back-to-back, nor could we have siblings who did not want to work together be featured in the same part of the show because that was a bad idea."

"But there were a lot of happy people who wanted to perform together. James and Daniel were awesome during their Guitar Hero battle. I would've never thought to use the projector so that everyone could see the game. If only I could get those two to sit still long enough to learn how to play a _real_ guitar..."

Kurt laughed at Blaine's pout. "Honey, maybe you should quit while you're ahead. Just think: you can teach Zoe if she's interested - before she's corrupted by video games."

"But that means I still have to wait a few years."

"You could always teach me in the meantime. I know the chords, but not any songs. I didn't get very far before holding a guitar was too awkward for me."

Blaine stared in surprise. "Too awkward? Kurt, when did you start trying to play?"

Kurt shrugged. "I always wanted too, but Mom wanted me to learn how to play the piano. Once I found out you knew how to play, I figured I could just borrow yours until I either got the hang of it or gave up. I didn't see the point of investing into buying one unless I really felt I could get somewhere with it. When I had that bad chest cold last year, I borrowed your guitar one day while you were in class and just started strumming."

"That explains why it was never exactly where I left it. I thought I was going crazy."

"Sorry about that. I was intrigued, so whenever you weren't around and I was bored, I'd practice the chords. Unfortunately by that point, I was - what, six months? - and Zoe was taking up a lot of room already, and I couldn't get comfortable enough to hold the guitar properly. I wanted to surprise you by playing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star', but that kinda fell to the wayside."

Blaine was still staring at Kurt like he was an alien. "I had no idea you wanted to learn. Do you still want to?"

"If you'll have me as a student, although I'll leave the songwriting to you. I have no problem reading or singing it, but writing it - that's all you. By the way - did I mention how much I loved your performance during the show?"

Blaine smiled as he pulled Kurt into his arms to snuggle. "Hmm...I think so, but I wouldn't mind hearing you say that again."

Kurt curled into his arms, sighing as Blaine lazily massaged his back. "You were amazing, and I loved the song you wrote; it was breathtaking. We should do one of your songs for Regionals. Original songs go over well with the judges."

"I'll keep that in mind. In the meantime, we should take advantage of a sleeping baby, don't you?"

"Hmm…"

Blaine smiled as he realized that Kurt was slowly falling asleep on him. It didn't bother him, as he wasn't far behind, but it would've been nice to just relax and talk for a little while. But then Blaine remembered how tired Kurt truly was, and since they were already spending the following day together, he could wait to get his fill of family time in the morning.

* * *

"Aww...I wanna go too."

"So do I, but those three need a family day. They're stuck with us often enough."

"But Kurt's been so busy lately and I miss him too."

Nick rolled his eyes at his pouting boyfriend. "Jeff, you do realize that you've probably seen him more in the last few weeks than his **daughter**, right? I'm sure you can handle one day without Kurt. You hang out during class every day."

Jeff just threw him a look. "Did you forget we go to this magical place called Dalton, where 'hanging out in class' is a mythical thing?"

"Why are you such a drama queen?"

"I'll show you drama queen," Jeff replied as he tackled Nick onto the couch.

"Sometimes I really don't get those two," said Thad, as he and the other boys looked on.

Since it was still the weekend and no one was in the mood to do any work, the Warblers were spread out in the room and lounging. Jeff and Nick had been their entertainment for the last ten minutes or so, as Zoe had been taken away with Kurt and Blaine. Someone would suggest an activity, only to be voted down because no one really wanted to move.

"Yeah, we all feel the same," said Trent, "but at least they're adorable when they fight."

"I concur," said Beatz, as he met Trent with a high five. "So while the two of them go at it, what should we do with the rest of the day? And David - mention our project for English again, and I will beat you with a pillow."

"I'm just saying that we have a lot of work to do on it and we're not doing anything productive anyway. Why don't we take advantage of that?"

"Because it's not due until APRIL! It's the beginning of FEBRUARY!" exclaimed Beatz.

"And what's wrong with getting it done and over with now? Why do you insist on procrastinating?"

"And we've lost two more," commented Thad, as they watched another mini-fight break out on the floor.

Sebastian laughed as he cuddled up to Thad, who had a point. Kurt and Blaine were out for the day with Zoe; Jeff and Nick had stopped fighting just long enough to sneak back to the dorms; Beatz and David would probably keep beating one another up until they got tired; and Trent was just lounging in the chair next to Sebastian and Thad.

Trent sighed. "I almost wish I went with the others to paintball, but I have a feeling I'm gonna be thankful I didn't."

"Paintball is fun, but after seeing how dangerous the younger guys are with water guns and nerf guns, I'd have to agree with you," said Thad.

"What about laser tag?" suggested Sebastian. "There's that place up by the mall. If we can grab Niff, separate those two, and find another body, we can go four-on-four."

"I'm all for that," said Trent. "Maybe we can ask Nick to text Robbie and see if he's interested. His house is on the way."

"Works for me," said Thad. "If you two don't mind getting Beatz and David, I'll risk my eyes to separate the lovebirds."

Sebastian gave him a kiss. "My hero."

"Our hero," said Trent. "I'm still scarred from the last time I had to find them."

* * *

Kurt, Blaine and Zoe made it back to Dalton in time for dinner with the rest of the Warblers. The trio spent the day roaming around Westerville, stopping at the mall for a little shopping and lunch, before heading to the park to enjoy the warmer than usual weather. Zoe hadn't been this happy in a while, and by the time they were heading back, had fallen asleep from all of the excitement.

The boys dropped off their stuff in their room before heading downstairs. Kurt had grabbed a bottle for when she woke up, leaving Blaine to grab the snacks they had bought while they were out. They made their way to the common room, where they were meeting the guys for pizza, and were shocked at the state of the Warblers, some with fresh bruises, some with bandages.

"What in the hell happened to you guys?!" Kurt half-yelled. "When we left, half of you were all lounging in here, and the rest of you were already out." Blaine left the questioning to Kurt, as he knew the boys would have no choice but to answer the brunette.

Of course getting them to talk was going to be a bit of a challenge.

Kurt just stared at them all one at a time, waiting for someone to crack. It didn't take long for James and Daniel to start pointing fingers first - surprisingly not at each other.

"It's their fault!" James and Daniel said as he pointed to the Juniors on the floor.

"Oh no you don't," said Rich. "You agreed to fight fair if we put you on opposite teams, but no, you two decided to go rouge with each other."

"Oh please," Jimmy drawled, as he rolled his eyes. "I told you making teams was a joke in the first place. And you're one to talk; it's partly because of the four of you that we had to leave early in the first place."

Blaine looked on as Rich, Peter, Anthony, and Paul flushed in unison. "Now what did you do? Please don't tell me they had to kick you guys out. Whose crutches are sitting against the wall?"

"Mine," said Thad. "We had an issue that resulted with me getting a sprained ankle."

"Wait a second," interrupted Kurt. "You didn't go to paintball, did you?"

"No. The rest of us went to play laser tag."

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other in confusion. "What?"

"I'll explain it to you," offered Sebastian.

"Please do."

"As it turns out, the place they went to play paintball is in the same complex as the laser tag; it's all in one facility. There is a common area where people that are playing multiple games can go to in order to swap gear for a different venue, or just to take a break. Nick, Jeff, Beatz, Trent, David, Thad, Robbie, and I went in with the idea to play two rounds. We were taking a break when we heard yelling over at the paintball counter. Low and behold, there these guys were with one of the security guys and the complex manager.

"Apparently, James and Daniel went rouge from their teams and joined up. Peter and Anthony got mad and roped Rich and Paul into helping them get back at the other two. Unfortunately, there was a case of mistaken identity and Peter and Anthony hit these other guys that were there. They went to apologize but they started shooting at them in retaliation. Rich and Paul were trying to diffuse the situation, but then Nathan and Dace were hit in the face and all hell broke loose."

"The two guys that were hit - we'll call them Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum - are apparently not allowed in the complex because they used to start fights, often when they're unwarranted," said Mark. "When we saw them hit Nate and Dace, me and Curban retaliated. But then a third guy showed up and pushed James into Jimmy and that's when one of the security guys showed up."

Sebastian picked up the story from there. "So Thad being Thad went to the counter to get the story and to find out if our guys were going to be in trouble. The manager said that he had called the cops because Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum, and Jackass were being charged with trespassing and misconduct, or something like that."

"So I asked the manager if it would be alright for us to take responsibility for the guys and to pay for any damage. He said we needed to wait and make a statement, since most of them showed signs of cuts and bruising that shouldn't be there for a normal game of paintball. I said that was fine and told these guys," Thad pointed at the younger boys, "to take their gear off and return it because we were leaving as soon as we were allowed to."

"Well, Jackass didn't like that and before they could do that, he pushed Mark, who fell into Nate, and they both landed on the floor. Beatz gets in the guy's face and tells him to back off. Jackass punched Beatz and Tweedle Dee jumps in to help. The cops showed up as Tweedle Dum - who still had the paintball gun - started to shoot at us with what ammo he had left. He got Thad in the leg - which would have been okay - but he fell badly over a chair."

Blaine and Kurt were having a hard time believing all of this. "So then what?" asked Blaine.

"The cops arrested the three idiots and we all had to make statements. One of the medics at the complex looked at us and patched up what he could. He said that Thad's ankle would be fine as long as he takes it easy. We got the crutches from Nurse Cara when we got back."

"Besides Thad's ankle, are the rest of you alright?" asked Kurt, as he adjusted a slowly-awakening Zoe in his arms.

The group looked at each other and shrugged. "Just bruised and annoyed, I think," said Beatz. "The manager did give us passes to come back...but not for a little bit."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "So you're all kinda banned?"

"Just temporarily," murmured Trent.

Kurt and Blaine shared a look, while Zoe started squirming in Kurt's arms. "I guess this means we can't leave you guys unsupervised anymore, huh?" said Kurt.

There was a general consensus of "Apparently not."

Zoe finally managed to convey that she wanted to be put down, so Kurt let her down on the floor. He watched as she crawled her way over to James and Daniel. The almost seven-month-old moved in front of the two of them and stared at them for a second before slapping a hand on each of their legs.

"Ba!" she squealed. "Ba!"

Kurt stifled a laugh while Blaine didn't bother to, especially at the looks on the boys' faces. Daniel and James were shocked and confused because even though Zoe had been babbling for a little while by now, she didn't usually direct it at anyone like she just did.

"Ba!" Zoe proceeded to do the same thing to Rich, Peter, Anthony, and Paul.

"Um, Kurt?" Daniel eventually asked. "A little help?"

Kurt gave in and laughed. "I think she's scolding you guys for being bad."

"Babies can do that?" asked David.

"Zoe seems to think she can," said Blaine.

"And this?" Thad asked, as Zoe curled up to his leg.

"You have a boo-boo and she's trying to make it better," Kurt said.

"That is too freaking cute," said Sebastian, as he swooped in to tickle Zoe. Her giggles caused the rest of the room to finally lighten up completely, and they enjoyed the remainder of the evening with an impromptu movie night.


	27. Be My Valentine

**Real life sucks.**

**Seriously, this was going to be posted on the story's one-year anniversary. Then that date passed, so I was hoping to get it uploaded by the end of the month. And now that Klaine Week is officially over, I get this finished. ::sigh:: So much for good planning…**

**I don't want to bore you with details but here it is: I was up for a promotion in mid-February, and found out the following week that I didn't get it. Haven't been told why yet either. But wanna hear the funny part? While I'm not good enough to be promoted, apparently I'm good enough to train the person that was promoted above me – the same person, mind you, that is now making more than I am and hasn't been with the company as long as I have. So I took some time away from writing because everything probably would've ended up bitter and angst-filled, which is the total opposite from what this chapter is about.**

**So my apologies for the delay. Hopefully, this long chapter will help me get back into your good graces. I do wish to thank all of you for sticking around and welcome to the newbies that have found this story while I was away. **_Pink_** has reached triple digits, for which I'm thankful for from the bottom of my heart. **

**Further thanks to **_Olivia Marie 20_** who has been sending me prompt ideas the last few weeks, which will hopefully see the light of day soon, and to **_Jay Li Matsuda _**especially, I hope you like what happens in this chapter, as it's been a long time coming. I'm still looking for ideas for both this and the sequel (which will be updated soon!) so feel free to review or send me a PM. You can just ask** _Olivia -_ **I will respond back :)**

**Now that I've finished my rambling, as usual, I still don't own anything Glee. I mention one song this chapter **_Valentine_** which is known as a Martine McBride song, but was originally written by Jim Brickman (she just sang the vocals for this song). Either way, I love the song, but I'll have that one person out there muttering to themselves "it's not her song" so there.**

**Enjoy this much anticipated update!**

_**Be My Valentine**_

* * *

"You need to stop freaking out."

"How am I supposed to calm down?! Valentine's Day is on Tuesday and I have nothing planned!"

Kurt was lounging on the bed with Zoe on his chest, splitting his attention between Zoe's babbles and Jeff's panicky rambling.

"Jeff, come over here and sit down for a second."

Jeff shook his head. "I'm too wound up right now."

Kurt sent him a look. "I'm sorry - that wasn't a request. Get over here."

Jeff looked like a puppy with its tail between its legs as he made his way over. Kurt had already moved over and waited somewhat impatiently for him to sit down. When Jeff got close enough but was still hesitant, Kurt went ahead and pulled the blonde onto the bed. Jeff sighed and curled up next to Kurt, who didn't hesitate to place Zoe on his chest. Any tension on his face melted away as Zoe proceeded to focus on him instead of Kurt.

"Better?"

"Yeah," Jeff replied. "Sorry about that."

Kurt playfully shoved him, "I'll let you slide this time. Now, what exactly is the problem here? You already got a present for Nick, so it's obviously not that."

"Well that's the problem; that's all I have for him," said Jeff. "I didn't make any plans for us to go out, and he hasn't said anything about going out either."

"That's what you're worried about?" asked Kurt. "Jeff, Valentine's Day is still a school night. Even if we didn't have rehearsal, our curfew is the same as any other day. And did you forget about the snow outside? We're supposed to be getting another few inches by Monday. Madame Moreau told me that if the weather stays like this, no one will be allowed off campus anyway."

"Well, that's fantastic," Jeff declared sarcastically.

"And besides," Kurt added, "who says you have to wait every year for February 14th to roll around so that you can tell your other half 'I love you'? There are 364 other days during the year that work just as well, if not better."

Jeff stared at Kurt in slight disbelief. "Geez Kurt, tell me how you really feel."

Kurt sighed. "Sorry Jeff. I'm a firm believer that Valentine's Day has become a commercial holiday and it just annoys me."

"Why though? Is it because you and Blaine didn't do anything for it last year?"

Kurt cocked his head to the side. "What are you talking about?"

"I heard you guys didn't do anything for it, which was why you were so crabby on the fourteenth."

"I spent the majority of that week sick, remember? Blaine and I were in Lima the weekend before. Somehow, Blaine convinced my parents to go out on a Saturday night and bribed Finn to do something with Rachel. He made chicken noodle soup for me and we had a movie night, which was just what the doctor ordered. So _technically_, yes, we did nothing on the actual holiday."

"So why were you in such a bad mood then?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I was four months pregnant, Jeff. I don't even remember much of Valentine's Day - I think I wasted most of the day in various bathrooms on campus. Dalton let Crawford come over for an early 'sweetheart's dinner' that night, and between the food and whatever scents everyone was wearing, how was I supposed to enjoy myself anyway?"

Jeff thought about it and Kurt could tell when he connected all the dots. "I totally forgot about the dinner. That's right - Blaine was only there long enough to grab a tray and left to check on you. He eventually sent a text to Wes that said neither of you were coming back down because you were too sick. The girls were disappointed."

"But I made it up to them later," Kurt said. "And if you recall, that was my last really bad week with the morning sickness. Blaine was the best valentine I could've asked for. Not many people would have been so willing to be near someone who spent the 'most romantic day of the year' throwing up, even if it was their significant other."

"Okay, so last year's Valentine's Day is accounted for, and this year must not be any different -"

"Totally different: not pregnant."

"...okay, I'll give you that - but isn't there a small part of you that wants to do something special?"

Kurt tilted his head as he thought about it. "Not really. I think I get that from my parents. I don't remember a year where Dad remembered the holiday on his own."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know, to be honest. My dad will be the first one to tell you that he is not a dancer, but there was one song that he had no problem dancing to when Mom was around. Have you ever heard the song _Valentine_ by Martina McBride?"

"Yeah, I have. That song always manages to give me the chills."

"Me too. Well, the year that song came out, Dad had forgotten about Valentine's Day as usual. Things at the shop had been crazy and it just slipped his mind. Mom says that if one of the guys hadn't asked him about it, he probably wouldn't have even realized the date. Anyway, it's very vague to me - I was what, three? - but Dad came running in the house in a panic, thinking Mom was gonna yell at him or something, I guess. Mom laughed it off and told him that it was just another day to her and that him missing it again wasn't a big deal, since Dad did little things all year round to show her how much he loved her."

"Aw."

"Yeah, so Dad decided to ask her if there was something she wanted anyway. All that was planned was for us to have dinner and when I went to bed, they were gonna cuddle and watch a movie. Mom decided to catch him off guard and asked him to dance with her, right there in the living room. Dad agreed and when he turned on the radio, _Valentine_ was playing. So every year after that, Dad would come home from work and offer her a dance while they played that song...although he did get her candy once."

"And your mom never cared? A lot of females expect certain things on days like that."

Kurt shrugged. "I picked up Mom's mentality about the whole thing. Dad doesn't consider himself a romantic, but he never had a problem showing how much he loved her. It was the little things that always made her smile; she didn't have a need for grand gestures. 'A simple touch of the fingertips' she used to say, 'that's romance at its finest. Everything else is just a bonus.' That's probably why Blaine and I haven't, you know."

It took Jeff a moment to realize what Kurt was talking about. "Oh - OH! Really?" At Kurt's nod he continued. "I thought after that talk we had…"

"Yeah, well, we haven't," he said, suddenly self-conscious.

Jeff had to admit that he was a little surprised, simply because he thought their chat would've been the push he needed to talk to Blaine. "Kurt, you know that it's okay if you two haven't talked about sex yet, right? There's absolutely no need to rush into it, especially for someone like you."

Kurt bit his lip. "I did talk to Blaine after I talked to you. We both agreed that there was no need to rush into it, and he was very understanding about the whole thing. I had kinda hoped we would've done it over break, but when that didn't happen, I actually wasn't overly upset about it."

"Kurt, can you answer a question honestly for me?"

"Of course."

"Do you wanna have sex because you _want_ to or because you feel like you _need_ to?"

Kurt was hesitant to answer. "Is it bad if it's a little bit of both?"

Jeff shook his head. "No, but explain it to me."

"Whenever we make out, it's fantastic, but then once in a while, Blaine will move a certain way or touch me in a certain spot and I freeze up. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it makes me question our relationship. Why is a guy like him, who is obviously ready for more, content to wait for someone that leads him on, only to disappoint?"

"Can I be completely honest?" Jeff continued at Kurt's nod. "You were raped, Kurt, and that is not something that you can get over quickly. While you may think you're ready, subconsciously you're not. You had a bad concussion in addition to the other injuries you got, which is why you're fine until something triggers a memory.

"You and Blaine got together two months after it happened. I know for a fact that all you two did was cuddle and kiss for a while after that, although I do recall some heavier kissing sessions before Zoe was born." He smiled when he saw Kurt blush. "Blaine isn't in this relationship for sex - he's in it for you. He loves you, and I bet he said something along the lines of neither of you doing anything the other wasn't comfortable with."

"When did you get so damn insightful?"

Jeff flicked his hair. "It's all a part of my charm. But seriously, whenever you two decide to do the deed, let me know so me and Nick can watch Zoe. It wouldn't be cool to traumatize her like that."

"And again with the awesome speech and terrible last lines."

* * *

While Kurt and Jeff were spending time with Zoe, Blaine, Nick, Sebastian and Thad were trying to make plans. Well, Nick, Sebastian and Thad were trying to make plans. Blaine said he was already set to go.

"I thought you and Kurt didn't really do Valentine's Day?" asked Thad.

"Well, this will only be our second one," Blaine explained. "Last year, he was too sick to do much of anything. We spent the weekend before at his house, like we usually did, but I made a deal with his parents and Finn to let us have the house to ourselves for a night. We had a simple dinner, a dance, and a movie."

"That's all?" asked Sebastian.

"Yep."

"That actually sounds plenty romantic to me," said Nick. "I don't remember you telling me about a dance though."

"That kinda happened on accident. We had the radio on low while we were eating and when I went to turn it off, Kurt asked if we could wait for the song to be over. I recognized the song and turned it up. When I looked at Kurt, he was humming the song with his eyes closed - like he was in the middle of a memory. So I walked up to him and pulled him into a slow dance until the song was over.

"He told me afterward that it was his mom and dad's go-to song if his mother wanted Burt to dance with her. I asked him what else they did and he told me how his parents really didn't acknowledge the holiday and just spent time together. So that's what Kurt and I did with the movie and cuddling on the couch."

There was a moment of silence before Sebastian spoke up. "I thought you said you sucked at romance."

Nick and Thad laughed as Blaine blushed. "Yeah, well, Kurt seems to think the opposite, so as long as he's happy, I'm good."

"You should've seen him last year, Seb," Nick said. "He won the title of 'Best Boyfriend Ever'."

"How'd he do that?" he asked.

"I did not," Blaine insisted.

"Oh yes you did," said Thad, who explained it to his boyfriend. "Kurt was absolutely miserable last year, but it wasn't because of the holiday; that was all Zoe's doing."

"But Zoe wasn't even born yet."

"Kurt had been sick the tail end of the previous week, but Valentine's Day proved to be the worst one of them all. If you ask him, he'll tell you that he doesn't even remember it."

Sebastian finally understood. "Oh let me guess: morning sickness."

"Try all week long sickness," Blaine interrupted. "There is no one proven way to help morning sickness, but that last week was torture. Kurt missed classes left and right that whole week; anytime he felt remotely okay, he'd go to class, instead of staying in bed. Dalton held a 'sweetheart's dinner' so that the Crawford girls could come over, but Kurt wasn't feeling up to it at all. So I managed to get some soup and bread and spent the night with him in his room, as he wasn't up for anything else."

"Wow. Even for someone that doesn't care much for the holiday, that really is a sucky way to pass the time," Sebastian said. "You two didn't share a room last year?"

Blaine shook his head. "When Kurt transferred, he got one of the single rooms, as the rest of us were already paired up and he wasn't up to handling a roommate right then. Per Dalton rules, couples aren't allowed to be in the same room. Jeff was the one to get permission for Kurt and me to have a room with Zoe this year."

"I always meant to ask how you managed it," Sebastian mused, "but I didn't want to overstep."

"Kurt had already resolved himself to the fact that Dalton would never let him attend with a baby, but Jeff was not having it. There are exceptions to the rules that are stated within the handbook that would allow for him to attend; you'd have to ask Jeff for specifics."

Blaine picked up where Nick left off. "Part of his proposal would allow Kurt and me - a well-known couple - to share a room, which included getting a petition signed by the rest of the student body. Since everyone was aware of the circumstances, no one hesitated at signing it."

Thad snorted. "Yeah, talk about determined. Once the rest of us heard about Jeff's plan, we made it clear that Kurt needed to be allowed to stay here. We started bothering Professor Dippet about it, and sure enough, everything worked out."

"That's very impressive," said Sebastian.

"Yeah," Nick sighed. "My boyfriend is the best."

"So then what are you gonna do for him for Valentine's Day?"

"I haven't figured that part out yet. What are you two going to do?" Nick directed that question to Thad and Sebastian.

The two in question looked at each other and then shrugged. "We were thinking about going out, but we may not be allowed off campus if that storm hits us. Besides, I still can't move that well with this ankle."

Thad looked at Sebastian, "Rain check?"

"Yeah, that works for me," Sebastian agreed. "Spring break isn't that far away, right? And we'll have a whole week to get into trouble."

"TMI, Seb," said Nick, as he pushed himself off of the bed.

Thad rolled his eyes as Sebastian just stuck his tongue out. "Get your head out of the gutter, Duval. Or are you just jealous?"

"Oh please - why do I need to imagine the two of you at it when I have a perfectly good boyfriend that I can have my wicked way with?" The three of them laughed at their jokes, not realizing Blaine's silence. Sebastian noticed first and left the other two bickering.

"You okay there, Blaine?" he asked, as he gave him a light shove. "You know we're just messing around, right?"

"Oh, yeah, of course...just thinking."

Sebastian stared at Blaine for a second before putting two and two together. "You two haven't done it yet."

Blaine startled at Sebastian's sudden deduction. "How did you know?"

"You just told me." Blaine groaned and shoved his face in a pillow. "Blaine, what's the matter? There's nothing wrong with _not_ having sex."

"And you're gonna tell me that you and Thad haven't yet?"

"Well, yeah, but we've only been going out for a few weeks."

"But you just said - "

"Since when does what I said equal us having sex? We're just messing around, Blaine. That's what guys usually do. I think I'm more stunned at the fact that obviously you and Kurt _haven't_. You've been together - how long?"

"Fourteen months."

"Wow, really?" Blaine and Sebastian turned around to see that Thad and Nick had rejoined the conversation.

"Yeah, really. You guys do recall what happened to him right? The reason he transferred here in the first place? Forgive me if we're moving too slow for you."

"Don't get all defensive on us, Blaine," Nick said, holding his hands up. "Seb is right: there is nothing wrong with waiting."

"What if I'm tired of waiting? I want to show Kurt how much I care about him, but sometimes I do something while we're making out and bam - he's panicking and I'm having an anxiety attack! How horrible of a person does that make me?"

"Now hold on a second, Blaine," Nick started. "A horrible person wouldn't even be worrying about how their partner feels; they would just do what they want. A horrible person wouldn't regret unconsciously hurting the one they love. A horrible person, Blaine Anderson - you are not."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Have you two talked about this?"

"Yeah, before Christmas. We thought about taking it to the next level for our anniversary, but that didn't happen."

"Too much family around?"

"That was part of it. I think us planning on it was a bad idea. Whenever we make plans for something more, either we get interrupted or he has a flashback or I start to panic - "

"Blaine, breathe." Nick grabbed Blaine's shoulders to get his attention. "It's okay - we're not trying to gang up on you or anything. We're just a little surprised, that's all."

Blaine took a few deep breaths until he got a hold on himself. "Sorry - I get a little worked up whenever I'm thinking or talking about this."

"Understandable," said Nick. "Just try and take it easy, alright?"

While Nick calmed Blaine down, Thad watched Sebastian's eyes light up, which usually meant he had a devious plan of some sort. He moved over on the bed to get his attention.

"Seb, I know that look," whispered Thad. "What are you thinking right now?"

"Thad, when was the last time Kurt and Blaine had a night out - no Zoe, just them?"

"I honestly have no idea...what are you thinking?"

"Well, since we've already decided to postpone our plans, why don't we offer to babysit so that the two of them can have a night alone? Seriously, if we play our cards right - and the weather really does get bad - we'll have a snow day. That gives the two of them plenty of time to do whatever without worrying about Zoe."

Thad started to consider Sebastian's idea. Now that he thought about it, the only time Zoe wasn't with Blaine and Kurt was during the school day. The last time they were apart from her was during winter break at the party; the time before that was Kurt's forced day out before school started. And yes, they'd gone out a handful of times when Kurt's parents watched her for a few hours, but for the most part Zoe was always with at least one of them, not that they ever seemed to overly mind.

"You might have a point, Seb. But do you honestly think that they will agree to it?"

"Why not? They get to have a night alone; we get to babysit; and since we're not leaving campus, Kurt shouldn't have an anxiety attack because she'll be close by. It's a win-win."

Thad thought for a moment more. "Fine, but you get to be the one to convince the two of them."

"I can handle that," said Sebastian, with a devilish grin.

* * *

Valentine's Day had finally arrived and to everyone's surprise, Dalton had announced early in the day that students were going to have a half day in order to prepare for the coming storm. Many of the faculty and non-boarding students needed time to travel, though many were bunking with friends. There was a stipulation that anyone that lived close by were allowed to go home if their parents called them out. While it would be easier and safer to just stay put, some were taking advantage of having extra time at home.

Nick had somehow managed to convince his parents to allow him and Jeff to go home, even though they themselves would not be. Kim was staying at Crawford and Robbie was attending an all-night game marathon with some of his friends, since school was likely to be closed the next day.

Of course, since his parents were taking care of it, Dalton had no reason to think that there were ulterior motives in place.

Nick had arranged for Jimmy to distract Jeff long enough for him to get things ready at his house. Jimmy lived two blocks away and offered to drop Jeff off on his way home, which left Nick only two hours to prepare dinner. He got lucky, as it had started snowing a little after he'd gotten home, so he was awarded an extra half an hour.

Just as Nick finished setting up, he heard the front door open and Jeff walking in after using his key.

"Nick? You here? I thought we were riding over together."

Nick hurried to light the candles on the table. "Yeah - I'll be right down. Don't leave the living room."

"If you say so," Jeff muttered, as he placed his overnight bag on the floor. He was curious as to how the rest of this day was going to play out. No one had been expecting the school day to be shortened, and last he had known, he and Nick were going to spend the night at his house. He had been expecting to see at least Robbie home by now, but it looked like they had the house to themselves.

Jimmy had let it slip on the way over that Nick had left earlier to do a few things, as Jeff was originally supposed to drive over with Nick. Jeff had tried to fish for more information, but Jimmy had kept his mouth shut after that. He had even tried texting some of the guys for details, but no one was talking. He hoped he wouldn't have to wait too long as he heard Nick walking into the living room from upstairs.

"Hey you," Nick said as he went in for a kiss.

"Hey," Jeff replied slowly. "So...what's going on? You have me very confused here. Last I heard, we were meeting here with your family for dinner, but it looks like no one else is here."

"That's because there isn't anyone else here. My parents are away for the week; Kim stayed at Crawford; and Robbie and his friends are pulling an all-nighter playing video games."

Jeff raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly did you get us out of school? I know your parents have basically become mine as well, but they wouldn't have the authority to excuse me."

"I called Brandon and asked him to help me out...after I convinced my parents to let us be home alone. Now that I think about it - I didn't exactly have to twist their arms to allow us to."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Well, duh - obviously, they think we're capable young men and we won't burn the house down in their absence."

"No, but I know one way to keep ourselves warm," Nick answered with a smirk.

"Oh you must have read my mind...I love the way you make hot chocolate." Jeff wished he could have taken a picture of Nick's face, as his eyes widened and jaw dropped. "I'm teasing. I know _exactly_ what you have in mind, and I am all for it."

Nick huffed and pouted for a moment, causing Jeff to laugh. "That was mean."

"Oh please. Now, what is on the agenda for tonight that had to start with distracting me for a couple of hours?"

"Do you trust me?" Nick asked.

"Always."

"Close your eyes and let me guide you - it's a surprise."

Jeff stared at Nick for a moment before closing his eyes and holding out his hands. Nick threw Jeff's bag over his shoulder and proceeded to lead Jeff up the stairs to his bedroom, where he had everything set to go. Once they entered the room, Nick told Jeff to keep his eyes closed until he'd placed his bag out of the way.

"Okay. You can open them now."

Jeff opened his eyes and softly gasped at the room's setup. There was a table set for two waiting for them with dinner and the bed was angled to accommodate a TV and DVD player that didn't normally reside there, a stack of movies sitting nearby.

"Nick...I don't know what to say. How'd you manage to do all of this? I know from experience that bed is hard to move."

Nick smiled as he wrapped his arms around Jeff. "After the last time I had to clean my room, my dad helped me put those moving pads under the posts so that it slides. I did test it though - it would take a lot of movement to get it going otherwise."

"Really now? So if I wanted to skip right to dessert and throw you on the bed to test that theory, it won't go anywhere?"

Nick's mouth dried out as his brain short-circuited in response to Jeff's comment. All he could manage was an intelligible "Uh huh."

Jeff was well aware that he was torturing his boyfriend, but he thought he was due a little bit of fun. Jeff had to admit, though, that he loved the way Nick's eyes darkened when he became a sexy devil.

"Well, dessert will have to wait. I'm starving and dinner looks fantastic. Shall we?"

**-Meanwhile back at Dalton -**

Thad wouldn't find out how Sebastian handled Kurt until after Zoe was already settled into his room, though considering the way that Sebastian had practically smuggled her in, he hadn't quite filled his end of the bargain.

Thad could only stare at his boyfriend in shock after Sebastian explained what he did. "You kidnapped her?!"

"No, of course not. I went into their room earlier and packed up some of Zoe's things. Then while Kurt was getting dinner and Blaine was in the bathroom, I snuck back in to grab Zoe and left a note on the bed that said not to worry about her."

Thad just stared at Sebastian for a moment before he groaned and rubbed his forehead. "And in what universe is that _not _kidnapping?"

"What? It's not like I left them a ransom note. All it said was that she was safe and they wouldn't get her back until they enjoyed their alone time." Thad's phone beeped, cutting off Sebastian's story.

Thad held up his cell phone. "Well, Kurt is on his way here, so you better have a good explanation in mind. This is NOT what I signed up for."

Not a minute later, there was loud knocking on the door.

"Cameron Sebastian Smythe! Open this door right now or I will personally kick your ass!"

Both Sebastian and Thad winced. It wasn't often that they heard Seb's full name.

"Maybe leaving the note was a bad idea?"

"You think _that_ was a bad idea?" Thad threw back as he hobbled to the door, watching as Sebastian tried to hide behind Zoe. Thad opened it up to see a very pissed off Kurt and a wary Blaine. "Hey you two -"

"Oh no you don't," said Kurt brusquely. "Where is my baby?"

Thad pointed behind him. "In my defense, this is not what I had in mind, nor did I play any part in this."

"Thad!" Sebastian exclaimed. "I thought you loved me!"

"I do, but when Kurt is pissed off and it's not my fault, I stay as far away as possible."

Kurt ran into the room and took Zoe out of Sebastian's hands, cuddling her close to his chest. He was borderline freaking out - not that Kurt believed that Sebastian or Thad would ever hurt her - but Zoe just giggled as he held her. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Zoe was fine, but he wasn't leaving without a good explanation.

"I'm giving you one chance to explain why I suddenly found myself childless and left with a little note that said 'have a good time!' before I hurt you."

Sebastian would later deny the squeak of terror he made as he hid behind his boyfriend.

Thad looked at Blaine, who just shrugged, before returning his attention to an impatient Kurt. Thad sighed as he realized that he would have to explain what happened, as Sebastian was being a coward.

"Okay, for the record, this was not how this was supposed to play out. Sebastian was supposed to talk to you both and offer our babysitting services so that you two could have a romantic evening to yourselves. He was not supposed to kidnap Zoe."

Sebastian tried to interrupt. "_Technically_ I didn't kidnap her-"

"What!?" yelled Kurt.

"Well, yeah. I mean, how many kidnappers actually think ahead and pack an overnight bag?"

Sebastian just got three stares in response.

"Okay...kidnapping is a harsh way to put it. We were just gonna borrow her overnight."

The stares didn't quite let up.

"...I'm sorry?"

Kurt sighed as he sat on the bed, Zoe still tight in his arms. "You're an idiot, Seb…thoughtful, but still an idiot. Why didn't you just _ask_? A simple 'hey, I wanna have a sleepover with Zoe' would have been acceptable."

"Well," Sebastian started sheepishly, "it was supposed to be a surprise. And I kinda thought that you wouldn't let her, and you two deserve a night to yourselves. Thad really had no idea what I was doing."

"Otherwise, I would've stopped this from happening," Thad interjected.

Blaine shared a look with Kurt before looking back to the other duo, thinking of a way to make everyone happy. "Well, what do you think Kurt? I mean, Sebastian had a point - at least he thought to pack an overnight bag for her - and a night for the two of us sounds rather nice, don't you think?"

Thad and Sebastian held their breaths as a thoughtful look came over Kurt's face.

"Did you only pack enough for tonight or were you planning on keeping her a while?"

"Well, since they're calling for a snow day tomorrow anyway, I grabbed stuff to last us the day too, just in case."

"Alrighty then." Kurt got up and passed Zoe back to Sebastian, but not before giving him a light smack on the back of the head. "Promise me to never do that again."

"I promise."

"Good. You and Thad can keep her tonight and tomorrow. I don't want to hear from you unless there's something wrong with Zoe - you got that?"

"Yes, sir. Hey, how'd you know it was me?" Sebastian asked. "I didn't sign the note."

"What the hell, Seb?" Thad groaned, as Blaine tried to stifle a laugh.

Kurt smirked, "You left witnesses. Daniel and James were messing around in their room and saw you leave. That saved you, so you should thank them later; otherwise I would've had to organize a manhunt and there's no telling how the others would react to your misguided good intentions."

"Are we all good now, Kurt?" asked Blaine, as he wrapped his arms around him, "cause I have to admit - I like the idea of having you all to myself all night."

Kurt blushed in response, but agreed that everything was fine now. Thad saw Sebastian about to make a suggestive comment, so he quickly covered his mouth and shot him a look that said 'don't even think about it'. Luckily, this went unnoticed by the young parents.

Blaine and Kurt said goodbye to Thad and Sebastian, though Blaine almost had to resort to dragging Kurt away from Zoe, who had no idea what had just happened. When the door closed, Thad let out a huge sigh of relief and sent a slight glare at Sebastian.

"Never again, you got that? That was terrifying - and I thought pregnant, hormonal Kurt was scary."

Sebastian's face flushed in embarrassment and he muttered an apology.

* * *

"I swear: if anyone ever pulls a stunt like that again, heads will roll."

"Yes, dear."

"I mean, really, what the hell was he thinking?"

"He thought he was doing something nice for the two of us. Yes, it wasn't the best approach ever - "

"He kidnapped our daughter!"

Blaine pulled Kurt into a tight hug - Kurt's back to Blaine's chest - in order to prevent another meltdown. "You and I both know that sometimes our boys don't think things through. Best intentions, mind you, but the road to get there? Not always the right one. Are you done freaking out yet?"

Kurt tightened his hold on Blaine's arms and breathed in deeply before slowly exhaling. Blaine could feel the tension melt away with every breath he took. He had to admit that he owed Sebastian and Thad one for tonight; he had a feeling after their last conversation that one of them would do something to ensure he had a night alone with Kurt.

"How do you always manage to calm me down?" Kurt asked. "And how come you're not upset?"

"The answer to your first question is easy: I'm awesome like that." Blaine just laughed as he watched Kurt roll his eyes. "And for the record, I kinda suspected that Thad and Sebastian were thinking of doing something _drastic_, but this wasn't exactly the first thing that came to mind."

Kurt turned around and faced Blaine with a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

Blaine bit his lip before responding, as he was unsure how Kurt would react. "Promise you won't get mad?" He waited for Kurt's hesitant nod. "Some of the guys and I were talking a few days ago about Valentine's Day plans and somehow, the topic of sex came up during the conversation...I might have mentioned that we haven't done it yet."

"Oh." Kurt wasn't mad, but he really wasn't sure about how to respond to that. "Okay, um, and what happened?"

Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not really sure. Thad and Seb had already decided that they were going to postpone their plans and wait for spring break, since Thad is still on crutches. Well, Nick made a comment and it got me thinking...about us."

"Go on."

"I know that we've talked before about us going all the way, and I know that we both may have wanted to during winter break, but I keep thinking about it, and I have no idea how to bring it up, and I didn't want to hurt you or scare you or -"

Kurt cut him off with a kiss. "Blaine, honey, you're rambling. Let me get this straight: You were talking to Nick, Thad, and Sebastian about Valentine's Day - "

"Uh huh."

"- and you guys started talking about relationships -"

"Yep."

"- and you more than likely started to panic about how we've done a lot but not quite everything - "

Blaine nodded.

" - and now you're afraid I'm going to yell at you for talking about us to our friends."

Blaine held his breath.

"I can understand why you would talk to them." At Blaine's look of confusion, Kurt continued. "I've done the same with Jeff, several times actually. He's helped me quite a few times with figuring out what I want and if I'm ready for it. It's thanks to him that I was able to talk to you about any of this in the first place months ago."

"...oh."

"Yeah."

"So what now? Where does that leave us?" asked Blaine, tentatively.

"Well, it _is_ Valentine's Day, Zoe will be fine with her kidnappers, and we have the whole night to ourselves, not to mention the impending snow day. Maybe we should take advantage of it." Kurt looked hesitant, leaving Blaine momentarily unsure of how to respond.

"Are you sure? The last thing I want is for either of us to regret doing this."

Kurt pulled Blaine into another kiss, before pulling away to look him in the eye. "I love you, and I want us to be able to do whatever we want. I'm tired of us getting close, only for me to panic or for you to worry about how I'll react. Enough is enough. I want you to be my first - and hopefully only - lover. Help me get rid of the nightmares for good. I want to be able to say that my first time was with the love of my life. "

Blaine was speechless as he took all of that in. He had a feeling that Kurt still had nightmares, but had never been able to get a straight answer from him about it. If Blaine was honest with himself, he too was tired of constantly second-guessing himself whenever things got heated. He was willing to give it a try, as long as Kurt was up for it. He liked the sound of making good memories.

"I love you too. I agree with everything you said, and if you truly feel that you're ready," Kurt nodded enthusiastically, "then what are we waiting for?"

Kurt seemed to get a sudden boost of confidence and within seconds had their lips pressed together. Blaine threw his arms around Kurt's neck for a change, while Kurt placed his around Blaine's waist, pulling them even closer together. Without pausing to take a breath, Kurt gently pushes Blaine onto the bed, straddling over his legs moments after he gets comfortable. They take it slow, knowing that they have all night.

Usually whenever they made out, Blaine took the lead. It was never on purpose, but a majority of the time, that was just the way it worked out; it was rare that Kurt made the first move. Blaine was enjoying the way Kurt took charge and was determined to make this a common occurrence in the future.

Blaine stopped thinking as Kurt began kissing his bare chest - he could feel the brunette grin as he groaned in pleasure - though this did lead to Blaine wondering when their shirts came off. Kurt shifted a little as he was still on top of Blaine, and the next thing he knew, he was now on top of Kurt. The two of them broke apart for some much needed air, and Blaine drank in the sight of his aroused boyfriend.

"We still good?" Blaine asked, as they tried to regain their breath.

"Very," Kurt gasped.

"I didn't even notice you'd flipped us; I was enjoying your ministrations too much."

Kurt giggled at Blaine's response. "I wanted to change it up a little bit before you took over."

"I can wait," Blaine said, "I wasn't lying. I love it when you get all sexy-confident on me."

Kurt raised his head enough to peck Blaine on the lips again. "It'll be my turn later. Right now, I want you."

Blaine stared into Kurt's eyes, as if looking for confirmation that this is what he wanted. He had noticed Kurt's hands shaking again, not terribly so, but enough to cause concern.

"You'll tell me if you need a break?"

"I promise."

"Can you do me one big favor, Kurt?"

"What is it?" Kurt asked, worriedly.

"Keep your eyes on me. I'm the only other person here. I love you and I want to make love to you. Take a deep breath and relax; keep your focus on me."

Kurt smiled, "Somehow, I don't think that will be a problem."

* * *

The boys woke up the next morning to find out that Dalton did cancel classes, though the snow wasn't going to be around for long if the sun had any say in it. A few of the teachers who actually stayed at the school joked around with some of the students in the cafeteria that just because they were missing half the student body, didn't mean they had to cancel their own classes. They enjoyed the brief looks of horror before wishing them a nice day off.

The Warblers that were still at school met up for a late lunch, as they all took advantage of sleeping in and doing nothing all morning. The few that had gone home the night before started retuning as they were finishing their food. Nick and Jeff were the last ones to come to the table, still bundled up and shaking snowflakes off of their coats

Nick glanced around the table and noted that Zoe was there, but that her parents were not. "Hey guys - where are Blaine and Kurt? It's not often we get Zoe to ourselves."

Daniel and James started laughing. "Well, someone thought it would be a great idea to kidnap her so that those two could have some alone time."

Jeff's eyes bugged out. "Who in their right mind would do that and live to tell the tale? You never take cubs without asking; otherwise the mama bear will kill you."

Thad snorted. "He almost did. Seb and I thought it would be a nice thing to do for them - you know, since it was Valentine's Day and all - however, this idiot," he pointed to Sebastian, "was supposed to bring up the idea to our favorite couple as a suggestion. Instead, he kidnaps Zoe and leaves a note, with no indication as to her whereabouts."

Nick and Jeff winced. "Oh Seb, you didn't."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Sebastian muttered.

"How exactly did Kurt find out it was you?" asked Jimmy.

"The Weasley twins caught him and let Kurt know. Blaine sent me a text to warn me. Next thing I know, I've got an extremely pissed off Kurt in my dorm and Seb is using Zoe as a shield."

Daniel couldn't resist commenting. "I've never seen Kurt so mad! He even full-named Sebastian!"

"Wait, what?" asked Jeff, confused.

James picked up where Daniel left off. "You know - when you do something bad and your parents call you by your full name? When you know that you're _really_ in trouble?"

"Oh. So again, how are you alive?" asked Nick.

"Dumb luck, a savior of a boyfriend, and Blaine calming down Kurt…wouldn't be alive otherwise."

"You've got that right."

The whole table turned around to see Kurt and Blaine behind them. Now, while there wasn't a sign over their heads that said 'we had sex', everyone at the table could tell that something had changed between the two of them. The Warblers couldn't deny that they looked even more adorable.

The two of them sat down at the table with Kurt curling into Blaine's embrace and putting his head on the other's shoulder. Blaine keeps his arm wrapped around Kurt, slowly stroking his side, and leaned in for another kiss. Normally, this would be when one or two of the boys would pretend to gag or make a joke, but the sight was too sweet to even think about ruining it.

"Hey you two," Nick says with a little smirk, "you look awfully cozy and lovey-dovey today."

"Is that a problem Nicholas?" Blaine answered, with a smirk of his own.

"Of course not," he replied. "I'm just ecstatic to see you so happy."

Blaine smiled in thanks. "I'm glad that we have your approval. I take it you had a nice night as well, then?"

"Of course we did," said Jeff. "Nick and I had a date night with the house to ourselves. Though enough about us - I'd rather hear about your night, starting with details surrounding Zoe's little sleepover."

Zoe had noticed her parents show up and waited for one of them to notice her. Hearing her name caused her to coo and wiggle around in Thad's arms. Kurt slowly left Blaine's embrace and leaned over to take her. Zoe must have missed him, as she wasted no time getting herself comfortable in his arms. Kurt just peppered her face with kisses and smiled at her little laughs.

"I have to admit - I was a little wary with her not being in the room last night, though it was nice not to have to worry about her for a little while." Kurt redirected his attention to his little girl. "Did you have a nice time with Thad and Sebastian last night, baby girl?"

"She did," answered Sebastian. "But I'm guessing her parents had an even better time last night."

Blaine and Kurt looked at each other and blushed. "So what if we did?"

"Then mazel tov. It's about time the two of you were able to have some time to focus on yourselves," Sebastian replied honestly.

"Yes, we're all glad that the two of you have done the deed, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're happy for you." Jeff paused long enough for the others to say their congratulations to the couple's embarrassment. "Since you have resolved your own personal unresolved sexual tension, does this mean we can get focused on Regionals now? Because you know I love you two dearly, but I for one would love to kick some ass so we can go to Nationals."

Kurt rolled his eyes at his 'son' while Blaine outright laughed. "Yes Jeffrey, we can now work on stuff for Regionals. I take it you have an idea or two?"

"Maybe…"


End file.
